Hazard tree removal in Pasadena: the warning signs
A hazard tree in Pasadena is one with a high potential to fail and fall on something, in the City's own words because of dead or dying branches, roots or trunk. The signs that move a tree from “keep an eye on it” to “take it down”:
- Large dead limbs, or a crown that leafs out thinner every spring
- Cracks or splits in the trunk, or a split where two big stems meet
- A new lean, soil heaving or cracking on the side away from the lean, or exposed broken roots
- Mushrooms, conks or soft, crumbly wood at the base or on the trunk
- Bark falling away, or many small round entry holes with staining (a sign of shot hole borer on sycamores and oaks)
- A tree that was burned, root-cut by trenching, or had its grade raised around the trunk
Pasadena's rules on hazardous trees
Pasadena makes hazards the owner's responsibility. Section 8.52.100 makes it unlawful to allow a tree, shrub or plant on private property to create a hazard, danger or likelihood of harm to any public place, parkway or street. A dead pine leaning over the sidewalk is the owner's problem to fix.
If the hazard tree is protected (a native over 8 inches in a protected yard area, a specimen or a landmark), removal still needs a permit unless it's a true emergency. The permit fits the finding that “the present condition of the tree is such that it is not reasonably likely to survive,” and a certified arborist's report documents it. In an emergency, when immediate action protects life or property, the City Manager's designee, a police officer or a firefighter can inspect the tree and remove the permit requirement. The City's FY2026 fee schedule also lists a $115.62 private tree hazard assessment, requested by the Planning Department. See the tree removal permit guide.
Hazards Pasadena trees face
Shot hole borer.The polyphagous shot hole borer has been in Pasadena since about 2014. In 2015 the City removed 65 California sycamores in the Central and Lower Arroyo because the beetles' galleries made limbs break off mid-branch without warning. See the shot hole borer guide.
Wind. Santa Ana winds, strongest in December and January, find every weak union and dead limb. A hazard tree removed in fall costs far less than the same tree as an emergency tree removal.
Fire.Dead trees are fuel. Pasadena Fire's spring inspections require dead trees removed within 100 feet of structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones; see brush clearance in Pasadena. In Altadena, burned oaks follow the County's two-year rule; see tree removal in Altadena.
Dead and hazard tree removal cost
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Most single-tree removals | $500 to $1,800 | treesremovalcostcalculator.com, Los Angeles (May 2026) |
| Large oak or eucalyptus | $1,400 to $2,800 | Same |
| Crane removal, very large tree near a house | $2,000 to $3,500 | neighborcutmytree.com (July 2026) |
| Detailed hazard or risk report | $300 to $550 | neighborcutmytree.com (July 2026) |
| City private tree hazard assessment (requested by Planning) | $115.62 (FY2026) | City of Pasadena fee schedule |
| Fire-zone premium | +10 to 25% | treesremovalcostcalculator.com, Los Angeles |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
Sourced ranges; quotes vary by site. Dead wood that can't hold a climber often means a crane.
Dead trees often need a crane tree removal, because brittle wood can't be trusted as an anchor. For oaks, see oak tree removal; for any other tree, tree removal in Pasadena.
