Huge eucalyptus tree fell on apartment building. Can this be prevented?

[Tree94]

A few days ago we got a big storm here in Tucson, AZ and it knocked over huge trees all over town. However, I think this particular one was the worst.
I have a few questions if someone could please help me out:
What is the best approach to remove a dangerous tree like this?
Is there anything you can do to big trees to prevent this from happening in future?
How can you improve the root system?

Thanks!

 

[ATH]

Sometimes big storms tear out really big things that otherwise wouldn't come out. Was it one of "those" storms? that is a pretty big root ball.

Hard to tell from those pictures: what did the rest of the rooting zone look like?

What is under the rocks? just soil, or landscape fabric?)

Were the roots on the back side cut? that looks to be far enough from the trunk for most trees - but I don't know squat about eucalyptus...

 

[ropensaddle]

View attachment 596250 View attachment 596251 View attachment 596252 A few days ago we got a big storm here in Tucson, AZ and it knocked over huge trees all over town. However, I think this particular one was the worst.
I have a few questions if someone could please help me out:
What is the best approach to remove a dangerous tree like this?
Is there anything you can do to big trees to prevent this from happening in future?
How can you improve the root system?

Thanks!

Crane is best.
You can reduce or trim for wind sail, however; in your dry environment and water at a premium might not be best solution. The problem as I see it is; the environment is not suited well for large trees non native to be planted there.

 

[Tree94]

Sometimes big storms tear out really big things that otherwise wouldn't come out. Was it one of "those" storms? that is a pretty big root ball.

Hard to tell from those pictures: what did the rest of the rooting zone look like?

What is under the rocks? just soil, or landscape fabric?)

Were the roots on the back side cut? that looks to be far enough from the trunk for most trees - but I don't know squat about eucalyptus...

Here's a couple pics of the root balls on 2 others

 

[ropensaddle]

Sometimes big storms tear out really big things that otherwise wouldn't come out. Was it one of "those" storms? that is a pretty big root ball.

Hard to tell from those pictures: what did the rest of the rooting zone look like?

What is under the rocks? just soil, or landscape fabric?)

Were the roots on the back side cut? that looks to be far enough from the trunk for most trees - but I don't know squat about eucalyptus...

Soil In Arizona is desert sand not well suited for shallow rooted trees. Native trees there are deep rooted and will support the tree in the monsoon season.

 

[derwoodii]

Is this a rare one off high wind event from a direction not often experienced by these trees??

The canopy looked large vs root mass ball even tho roots looked in good form and spread i suspect the obvious the earth holding capacity vs wind push allowed the full rotation of root mass bit like a sail boat keel being out powered by wind..
I see other similar trees nearby perhaps some crown thinning to lessen sail and checking of earth soil profile to ensure its capable to help hold roots..
These gums by chance may have prospered in the AZ environment just a bit too well and not taken too earth & not putting on reactive roots to high winds over growth years..

 

[BC WetCoast]

What I see is a rotational failure, in that the root ball held together, but the rootball rotated in the soil. Looking around at the rest of the landscape, I'm guessing there is a sprinkler system (my grass doesn't look like that in the summer when I don't water). The relatively short watering cycles for turf irrigation would cause more surface rooting on the grass side, whereas the rock side would get less water -> less roots.

As far as removing it, relatively easy. Easiest is with a crane. No crane, no problem, use a bucket truck and strip all the limbs foliage that isn't supporting on the roof, until there is just a stem on the roof edge and the stump. A small knuckleboom crane (ie Hiab) can lift the stem off the roof and just buck off blocks until well clear of the building and lower to ground. No knuckleboom, once it's stripped, buck the stump off and then begin shortening the log from the butt end. Put two ropes at the top. Once the log is near vertical, pull it off the building. No bucket, have your small lightweight climber scurry up the tree stripping branches and have someone on the roof stripping the branches on the roof.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Your pics tell it all, we see here all the time,
Jeff

 

[ATH]

Your pics tell it all, we see here all the time,
Jeff

moreso on eucalyptus than other species? (just curious, as I said above, I know nothing about them...)

 

[jefflovstrom]

moreso on eucalyptus than other species? (just curious, as I said above, I know nothing about them...)

moreso on eucalyptus than other species? (just curious, as I said above, I know nothing about them...)

Yeah, their roots are usually within 12" of the ground, such heavy trees and in an urban environment, with landscape trenching, homes, parking, sidewalks, etc,,
They just can not hold them selves up.
Jeff,, I have a lot of pics worst than this,

 

[jefflovstrom]

Yeah, their roots are usually within 12" of the ground, such heavy trees and in an urban environment, with landscape trenching, homes, parking, sidewalks, etc,,
They just can not hold them selves up.
Jeff,, I have a lot of pics worst than this,

Even on a golf course, look at the root plate,
Jeff

 

[jefflovstrom]

This one fell at the time students were getting out of school at a high school , obvious overtime for us that day.
Jeff

 

[jefflovstrom]

notice the ground around it and the root structure that close to the tree,
Jeff

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Step one, remove two idiots from under the tree...