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Hazard Tree – Felling Safety Tips

 

Felling a hazard tree requires accurate risk assessment and complexity analysis, and demands the sawyer’s full situational awareness. In all cases, remember to establish and maintain a secure felling area.

Do not bypass hazard trees without taking some action such as felling or establishing a No-Work-Zone.

Degree of hazard varies with tree size, species, and type/location of defect:

  • Stem defects resulting in tree failure, i.e., collapse.
  • Weakened sapwood resulting in loss of control when falling trees & limits solid wood for wedging.
  • Overhead hazards, i.e., dead or hanging limbs falling on the faller.

Line art of a snag tree with bare branches

Indicators of potential felling hazards:

Dead Limbs: limbs of all sizes and species with decay evident cracking, or loose, hung-up limbs. Avoid working under overhead hazards.

Witches Broom: caused by mistletoe infection, limbs can grow very large and heavy (200+ lbs).

Split Trunk: cracked trunk from frost, lightning, or wind. Visible evidence of advanced decay indicates serious weakness where the tree could fail.

Stem Damage: caused by windfall, scarring, fire, machine, and animal damage, as well as heart rot diseases.

Thick Sloughing Bark or Sloughing Sapwood: usually found on dead trees. Loose bark on Douglas fir or loose sapwood on wind snapped cedars can dislodge during falling.

Butt and Stem Cankers: usually found on deciduous trees but can occur on Douglas fir and pine. The infected areas weaken the stem.

Fungal Fruiting Bodies or Conks: found on stems it may indicate massive interior rot 1-2 yards above and below conk. Excessive resinosis (resin flow) also indicates heart or root diseases.

Heavy Tree Lean: may be caused by damaged roots or lifting root mats, shallow or wet soils. In some cases, the tree may have corrected itself which can be determined by looking for corrected top growth.

Root Condition: look for any ground cracks around the base of the tree, signs of decay or fungal conks on the roots.

Cat Face: look for enough solid wood to construct an effective undercut and back cut.

References:

Category
Felling Safety

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NWCG Latest Announcements

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species – Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

Date:  July 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics and Equipment Management Committee (LMC) issued Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels, reminding the wildland fire community that aquatic mussels continue to be a problem. Mussels rapidly colonize hard and soft surfaces, including aquatic plants and fire equipment, clogging pipes, fouling motors, disrupting water systems, and impacting native species.

To help prevent their spread, fire personnel must follow the decontamination procedures outlined in the NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444. Additionally, report any sightings immediately to your Lead Resource Advisor and include clear, close-up photos (with a pen or your hand for size reference) and location details.”

Read the complete LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001, to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

LMC Equipment Bulletin 26-001: Aquatic Invasive Species - Seasonal Reminder for Mussels

NWCG Guide to Preventing Aquatic Invasive Species Transport by Wildland Fire Operations, PMS 444

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Task Book Update

Date:  July 24, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG Operations Management Committee (OMC) has issued an update to the NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91. To ensure clarity for both trainees and evaluators, the updated FAL2 Position Task Book (PTB) explicitly states who is authorized to sign off on your tasks:

“Evaluators must be qualified as a FAL2, or an Advanced Faller (FAL1).”

If you are currently working out of a previously published version of the FAL2 PTB, you do not need to restart. However, OMC highly encourages you to take the following step to prevent any confusion in the field:

  • Print and replace the updated evaluator information page (page 2) in your current physical PTB.

References:

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

NWCG Position Task Book for Intermediate Faller (FAL2), PMS 311-91

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Date:  July 10, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Equipment and Technology Subcommittee

The Logistics/Equipment Management Committee (LMC) has released Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups. This advisory highlights multiple U.S. Forest Service regions reporting front driveline joint failure incidents.

This advisory recommends firefighters and fire managers to: 

  • Follow all Ram-issued inspection, maintenance, and service guidance for front driveline joints. 
  • Consider installing a driveline loop. 
  • Coordinate with fleet managers and service providers to determine the most appropriate driveline loop kit for each pickup.

For further details, please refer to the complete advisory.

References:

Equipment Advisory 26-001: Potential Front Driveline Joint Failure on 2018 and Earlier Ram Pickups

Technical Service Bulletin: 03-002-21

NEW! NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900

Date:  July 9, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG Staff

NWCG is excited to announce the publication of the NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900.

The new publication establishes general, consistent, and uniform standards for conducting business with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

References:

NWCG Standard Operating Procedures, PMS 900