Prep your trees before Santa Ana season
Santa Ana winds hit October through January. Dead limbs get invited to fall. The prep work takes a Saturday.
What you'll learn
- What a dead limb looks like from below (brittle bark, no leaves, snap-off ends)
- The leaners and co-dominant unions most likely to fail
- Why eucalyptus and drought-stressed pines drop limbs without warning
- What to stage (tarps, contact info, insurance policy) before a storm hits
Step by step
- Walk each tree and photograph dead branches, leaners, or cracks.
- Clear gutters and roofs of any overhanging dead material.
- Secure patio furniture, grills, and loose yard items that become projectiles.
- Save your homeowner insurance claims line in your phone.
- If a limb is dead and bigger than your wrist, call a pro before the winds arrive.
Safety note
Eucalyptus, especially drought-stressed, drops limbs with zero warning, even on calm days. If you have one within falling distance of a structure, an arborist risk assessment is a cheap insurance policy.
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