Fire damaged trees-advice

[macrocarpa]

At the end of this week, I’ll be going out to do an evaluation of trees that sustained fire damage from a barn fire. Evidently the insurance company requires a written report from an ISA certified arborist before they will move forward with any insurance policies.

I’m just looking for advice from those more experienced with fire damaged trees of what I should be looking for other than % remaining foliage, visible vascular damage, and the usual inspection of structure, root flares, decay, etc.

 

[data farm 26]

Do you know what species?

 

[macrocarpa]

Do you know what species?

No, I haven’t been out to the site yet. I can’t see the barn from the Google Street view either.

I’m assuming oaks, maples, and possibly white pine.

 

[KTSmith]

I have no experience with fires from burning buildings, but in wildland fire we get a sense of intensity from the presence/absence of scorched bark and if present, how high it extends up the trunk.
As for survivablity under a given exposure to fire, species makes a big difference.
But of course, it's not just survivability but whether survivors will continue to give back value with respect to ecosystem services, etc. No, I don't think the insurance company thinks of "ecosystem services," but we should. I've written a bit about compartmentalization of fire injury here, here, and elsewhere. Probably no help at all for the insurance adjuster, but might be interesting to you.

 

[Matias]

They just want an ISA CA, but aren't worried about the TRAQ? I know around here, they want TRAQs.

 

[macrocarpa]

They just want an ISA CA, but aren't worried about the TRAQ? I know around here, they want TRAQs.

Just a certified arborist. I also have TRAQ though.

 

[Matias]

Around here, I have seen a lot of trees survive the fire, but not the environmental changes thereafter. If a tree was in the shade of a condemned tree, sunburning down the line is a common theme. The more I see, the more I realize how much I have left to learn. I have seen quite a few failures of trees that were thought to be safe enough, but these trees went through some serious shit, not like your case. I should probably start documenting some of the post carnage development for future reference.

 

[evo]

A good number of years ago I assessed a Big Leaf Maple. The house was a total loss and the crown was pretty darn close. The FD sprayed the tree yet about 2/3 of the crown was damaged, half near the house was charred (black bark), the remainder (including interior shade leaves) browned and shriveled.
I advised retaining and monitoring (they never called back), I have driven past it regularly. Very few limbs and a little more than a few secondary laterals on the house side died.
Now years later you can hardly tell from the road (back yard tree). It would be very educational to do a climbing inspection for areas of cambium that potentially died back. I would be surprised if there is any main trunk/scaffold damages but I’m just guessing…

I’d bring a saddle and a throw line. Toss the line and give things a wiggle. Maybe climb and scrape bark to see if the inner bark is good and cambium is green