Fire in garden, can trees be saved?

[Codythedog]

Recently had a fire at the bottom of our garden. A tree surgeon told us the trees will die and eventually go brittle and collapse. I’ve been advised to chop into the tree slightly to see if the tree is still alive but I’ve no idea how to tell. Can anyone guide me based off of the pictures? These are three different trees.

[Codythedog]

This is a picture from today. The bits lower down are browning off and in the top-left of the picture you can see how browned the top of that tree is. I think we are going to opt for the trees to be removed for safety purposes. Good point about liability to the path behind because it is a popular route for walkers. 

[sime42]

 

26 minutes ago, AHPP said:

Not enough context on photos to say confidently but I bet they'll stand safely for at least five years, probably 8-10. Let the microbes do just enough and it'll be less stuff to get rid of when they do have to come down.

 

 

Brinksman.

 

But yeah, they're almost certainly good for at least 5 years. I was being cautious. 

[Steven P]

But in 5 years there will be no trees / remains and no privacy screen either.

 

Plan for the future now I think, 

[maybelateron]

If there was already a fence in place, surley you can't need planning permission to replace it/put another one up? Is the photo taken from inside or outside your garden? 

[GarethM]

10 minutes ago, maybelateron said:

If there was already a fence in place, surley you can't need planning permission to replace it/put another one up? Is the photo taken from inside or outside your garden? 

There's a height limit on fences, over a certain height it requires planning permission, something like 6ft.

[Codythedog]

The photo is from inside our garden. Any replacement fences can go to 6ft and then you can have a trellis but can only add another 18 inches on top of that roughly. The trees currently are about as tall as my house so give loads of privacy whereas a fence, even a massive fence that needed planning permission wouldn’t be ideal at all.

[Tree monkey 1682]

On 05/06/2025 at 10:11, Codythedog said:

I feel like answering sarcastically but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re not trying to be vindictive. Firstly, we did not light the fire. We have a public path behind our house/garden. It has been so warm and dry it could have simply been a discarded cigarette from someone walking past, or arson. But we don’t know. We were out at the time and came back home to zero fence panels and burned trees.

 

Secondly, we know nothing about trees. We have had one opinion, another coming today hopefully to assess and thought we would reach out through the power of internet for some second opinions. It’s not that we don’t trust the tree surgeon, SHE actually came recommended and I thought she was very professional but we don’t know any better. We were reaching out because we are stressed and don’t want to get rid of the trees if we can help it but we don’t want them dying anyway and doing further damage when they collapse.

 

Thirdly, I’m sure there is somewhere you can monetise your advice. Go have a look. But I’ve got to say, even though opinions on here are varied it has been hugely appreciated just having second opinions based off of the limited information I can give. I had no idea there was anything like this out there and I’ve probably learned more about trees in the past two weeks than I have ever learned and I’m still not a tree surgeon so it won’t impact your unique skill. My unique skill is being able to spell. Sorry to eventually be sarcastic.

Hahaha, benefit of the doubt , you aren't doing me any favours ! At the end of the day you had a professionals advice I'd have taken it... all you need to do is what's been done to the bark,but in simplistic terms ...what's happened to the tree is the same as you sticking your hand in a fire !

If i was going to give you advice which I won't because of the attitude I'd start talking in Latin names and giving you suggestions of what to do instead ....but I'd never have brought a house with a footpath at the end of the garden!!

But i bet you it's the same with builders - a mate used to get that alot and by the end of it the client thought they were the professional often saying ,how long it would take ,how much it would cost ..etc 

All I was saying is the is nothing you can do, simple as ...you can be as sarcastic as you want....but don't forget she might read this and think f this I'm not working for him!! Blacklisting still happens .

Other thing is we've got pre nvq people who can identify if a shrub or tree is dead or dying !

All the best .

[Mick Dempsey]

30 minutes ago, Tree monkey 1682 said:

Hahaha, benefit of the doubt , you aren't doing me any favours ! At the end of the day you had a professionals advice I'd have taken it... all you need to do is what's been done to the bark,but in simplistic terms ...what's happened to the tree is the same as you sticking your hand in a fire !

If i was going to give you advice which I won't because of the attitude I'd start talking in Latin names and giving you suggestions of what to do instead ....but I'd never have brought a house with a footpath at the end of the garden!!

But i bet you it's the same with builders - a mate used to get that alot and by the end of it the client thought they were the professional often saying ,how long it would take ,how much it would cost ..etc 

All I was saying is the is nothing you can do, simple as ...you can be as sarcastic as you want....but don't forget she might read this and think f this I'm not working for him!! Blacklisting still happens .

Other thing is we've got pre nvq people who can identify if a shrub or tree is dead or dying !

All the best .

Easy on the shrooms mate.