National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Hazard Tree Felling - Hang-ups

Category: 
Felling Safety
Page Last Modified / Reviewed: 
Feb 2022

 

hazard-tree-hang-ups. Photograph looking up into tree tops and seeing one tree leaning up against another.Felling a hung-up hazard tree is a particularly hazardous and complex task. Safely felling a hang-up requires extreme caution and expertise.

The following are some topics sawyers should review during tailgate safety discussions to address felling hang-up hazard trees:

Size up and Evaluation:

  • Cut/No Cut (walk-away). Is tree secure and does it need to come down?
  • What type of hang-up? In a fork, pinched between two trees, or resting on limbs?
  • Vertical hang-ups have increased complexities.
  • Condition of all relevant trees live, dead, rot, etc. Does the hang-up tree have any weak areas that could fail?
  • Obscured view of top?
  • If sawyer is unsure of the outcome, do not attempt to cut a leaner.

Operational Considerations:

  • Escape routes for unforeseen circumstances?
  • Consider falling trees as a group.
  • Consider face cuts versus slash cuts for directional control.
  • Rope technique allows increased distance from danger zones.

Alternative Mitigations:

  • Blasting.
  • Heavy equipment/cable.
  • No Work Zones.

Discuss any personal lessons learned with hang-up trees that you may have experienced.

 

Additional Resources

Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR)
10 Standard Firefighting Orders, PMS 110 
18 Watch Out Situations, PMS 118
10 & 18 Poster, PMS 110-18
NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461
RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)
Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book)
Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

 

Follow NWCG on Twitter  and Facebook

Have an idea or feedback?
Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee.