Periods of prolonged droughts coupled with low humidity and high winds have created conditions that are more conducive to wildfires. During these periods of extreme fire weather, otherwise controllable ignitions have a high probability of becoming wildfires. The increased frequency of these conditions and the expanded times of year they are occurring have resulted in
Community wildfire protection planning plays a key role in protecting the millions of homes throughout California located on land designated as Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). The U.S. Forest Service defines the WUI as places where humans and their development come into contact with (within a half mile of) wildland fuel sources. With 32% of housing in
In 2024, more than 8.9 million acres burned because of 64,897 fires throughout the U.S. National Interagency Coordination Center Wildland Fire Summary and Statistics 2024 Annual Report, “In 2024, the reported number of wildfires and acres burned nationwide was noticeably higher than the 5- and 10-year averages.” The cause of so many wildfires? Ignition sources,
Urban forests play an important role in reducing surface temperatures, improving air quality, conserving energy, and increasing quality of life, amongst many other benefits. A sustainable urban forest must contain healthy, well-maintained trees with high species and age diversity. Creating such a robust urban forest can be complicated for cities and municipalities and is best
Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus) are ubiquitous in California. The species was imported as seeds from Australia during the Gold Rush during the mid-1800s, in the hopes that the fast-growing trees’ wood could be used for construction, furniture making, and railroad ties. They were unsuitable for that use due to the propensity of the
Drought and pests, as well as tissue and root damage, put many trees at risk for internal rot and decay, which can pose a risk to property and public safety in the event a tree fails. Sonic tomography allows municipalities and developers to efficiently detect and accurately map tree decay in a non-invasive manner, especially
The warming climate, a proliferation of uncleared vegetation, and development near wildlands all combine to fuel devastating fire seasons that begin earlier and earlier each year, especially across the American West. In 2020, 10.1 million acres burned nationwide. To address this crisis, in January of 2022, the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service (Forest Service)
Planning for Trees Improves Climate Resiliency As the climate changes and the earth warms, extreme heat days (temperatures over 95°F) have increased in frequency and wildfires fueled by dry vegetation burn bigger and for longer, negatively impacting air quality both locally and nationally. While unable to completely cancel out the impacts of an extreme […]
Invasive shothole borer (ISHB) is a group of two species of ambrosia beetles that are native to Southwest Asia. Suspected to have first arrived in Southern California in 2003, the beetles were previously misidentified as a less aggressive pest until approximately 2012. Since then, thousands of trees in forests, cities, and residential areas have become
Limiting impacts to protected tree species takes place at four distinct points in time throughout project development. A thorough tree inventory informs and ensures a comprehensive Protected Tree Report. During construction, monitoring is essential to avoid impacts to protected species. Finally, long-term monitoring and management facilitate long-term health of protected tree species. Following, Dudek Urban
