Army Corps of Engineers Expands Tree Marking System for Wildfire Recovery

The United States Army Corps of Engineers has updated its hazardous tree marking system and clarified the waiver process for property owners affected by Southern California wildfires.

These changes, announced Thursday, March 6, are intended to enhance transparency and address community concerns about tree removal procedures in wildfire recovery areas, according to the USACE.

“We are committed to listening to the community and improving our processes,” said United States Army Col. Eric Swenson, commander of the USACE Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Field Office. “Our goal is to provide a clear, fair, and transparent system that respects property owners’ choices while prioritizing safety. The new tree markings and flexibility in how information is received reflect our commitment to making this process as accessible and efficient as possible.”

The Corps has introduced two new color markings to complement the existing blue dot system. Trees marked with a blue dot at the base and a barcode have been determined to be hazardous and are scheduled for removal. Yellow dots with yellow ribbons will mark trees where owners have submitted removal waivers; for these trees, the barcode will be removed, and this update will be cataloged in the contractor’s system to ensure the tree remains in place. Brown dots will identify trees reassessed as non-hazardous by higher-level ISA-certified arborists; these trees will have the barcode removed, and this update will be recorded in the contractor’s tracking system, confirming the tree will not be removed.

Property owners now have more flexibility in submitting waiver forms. They can submit the Waiver of Hazardous Tree Removal during 72-hour and 24-hour notification calls, via email, or directly to contractors during the 360-degree walkthrough, which is the last step before debris removal operations begin.

Completed forms must be emailed to specific addresses depending on location: Eatoncallcenter@ecc.net for Altadena properties or Palisadescallcenter@ecc.net for Palisades properties.

USACE contractors are reportedly making efforts to accept supporting information in a variety of formats—including photos, emails, and other documentation—to meet property owners’ requests and properly record their decisions.

To expedite the waiver process, property owners are encouraged to assess the trees on their property as early as possible. This will ensure they have the necessary information ready when contacted by the USACE contractor for their scheduled walkthrough.

An important reminder from USACE: Community members have been self-marking trees in an effort to preserve them. USACE urges the community not to paint trees, as some paints contain toxic substances that can harm trees and the surrounding environment. Property owners should follow the official waiver process to document their decision to retain a tree.

The Waiver of Hazardous Tree Removal form is available at recovery.lacounty.gov, where residents can also find additional information and updates on wildfire debris removal efforts.