When to cut dead oaks

[nitro330]

I have a large number of dead red oaks on my property due to oak wilt. I know cutting in spring and early summer attracts beetles and can spread the disease, but what if the tree is long dead? Am I okay to remove them any time of year I'd they've been dead for a year or more?

It's a shame what that fungus is doing to my property...

 

[Jason Douglas]

Should be fine although spores could hypothetically become airborne by the act of using a chainsaw.

Sounds like it doesnt matter at this point but don't prune any healthy remaining oaks til winter to be safe. Systemic fungicides may help any non symptomatic survivors.

 

[ATH]

Can you have a bonfire? If they have been dead that long, there aren't likely active spores in the dead wood...but if they were recently killed, you wouldn't want to keep that wood around - or spread it to somebody else. If you can't burn it, put a black tarp over it in the sun to cook it in the summer heat.

 

[Mad Professor]

Do some research on how the fungus spreads

https://www.treehelp.com/oak-wilt/

https://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/oakwilt/oakwilt.htm

"To suppress overland spread of the fungus, control must be aimed at destroying the source of inoculum - the diseased tree - at the proper time. All trees that die in any given year should be checked carefully for fungus mats and oak bark beetle colonization by April 1 of the following year. If the mats or beetles are present, the entire tree should be burned, chipped, or covered with plastic for 60 days. In the Eastern United States, about 50 percent of diseased trees contain beetles and about 25 percent produce mats; however, these figures may vary, depending on geographic location. Fresh pruning wounds may attract beetles contaminated with oak wilt fungus. Because of this, avoid unnecessary pruning and prune in winter whenever possible. Trees should not be pruned during April, May, or June or whenever the beetles are active."

What do you want to do with the trees?

Might be able to salvage for lumber or firewood

http://ipm.illinois.edu/diseases/series600/rpd618/

"The use of diseased oaks for firewood is not recommended in residential areas since the firewood is frequently not burned before the following spring when insects may carry the wilt fungus out of the infected wood. If diseased wood is to be used, it should be processed as soon as possible and burned before spring. Firewood should be cut to the proper length, split, stacked off of the ground in a single tier, and protected from moisture in order to hasten drying. Firewood that has been debarked or stored in a dry place is not a source of infection. Diseased oak timber can be harvested for lumber if it is sawed before the following spring."

This link is pretty good PDF on the subject

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/oakwiltusda.pdf