In a record-breaking 4 year long drought, the first signs of El Nino rainfall were welcomed with gratitude by most San Diego residents. While we certainly need the rain, many San Diego residents were recently reminded of the potential risks and hazards brought about by much higher than average rainfall.

When heavy, consistent rains pound the ground, especially after years of drying and hardening in drought conditions, the soil can quickly become saturated and unstable. Unstable soil around your trees’ trunks and roots can cause an unsafe platform for your trees. Mild or moderate winds blowing against a wet, heavy leaf canopy can cause trees in stressful or weakened state to fail and come crashing down.  Even trees that appear healthy can become unstable if their roots are unstable soil.

As with most hazardous situations, there is rarely a single factor that leads to a tree falling. There are typically several factors contributing to the unsafe situation. Before the rains increase, take a few moments to inspect your trees for the following signs of weakness, stress and potential for falling:

• Heavy, overgrown canopy
• Tree leaning sharply in one direction
• Unbalanced branches – the tree seems heavier on one side
• Damaged or restricted roots
• Exposed or lifting roots
• Cavities in the trunk

Ordinarily, one of these issues is not enough to cause an otherwise healthy tree to fail. However, several of these factors combined create the recipe for a hazardous situation and potentially dangerous outcome requiring emergency tree services.

If you observe one or more of the above-mentioned factors in your trees, contact Emma Tree Service for a free tree service consultation. Taking simple steps now may help prevent very serious damage in the coming rainy months.