Altadena's canopy thins — and tempers flare

Arborists and residents work to protect what fire spared

- COLLEEN SHALBY

A EUCALYPTUS tree on Glenrose Avenue, where residents confronted workers with chainsaws.

Glenrose Avenue awoke to the sound of chainsaws.

Eucalyptus trees that many residents believed shielded some of the homes in West Altadena from the Eaton fire were being cut down without warning.

The trees were sprouting green shoots and to the naked eye appeared healthythe only sign of life on the side of the street where historic Janes Village homes burned and some neighbors perished. The neighbors who were back in their homes called others who were still displaced. Soon, more than 15 people had gathered in the street to confront the tree service workers, begging them to stop and wondering why the neighborhood had not been made aware of the plans.

Mira Dancy said she feels an obligation to protect everything that survived the fire.

"When all of your neighbors are no longer here or died or living elsewhere and lost everything, it just feels like a tremendous amount of responsibility."

Members of Altadena Green, a group of arborists and landscape experts, estimate that the town known for its lush canopy of trees has lost at least 50% of its prefire canopy. Some trees died in the fire; others, local arborists believe, were chopped down carelessly during the early cleanup operations.

Months later, the future of many of the town's trees remains in question as new property owners clear private land for construction and as tree removals by the county pick up.