SAN DIEGO — The series of storms that have blown through San Diego has left damaged roads, and homes, and uprooted dozens of trees across the county.
According to Brian Widener, forester for the city of San Diego, there have been over 90 requests from the public regarding fallen trees just within city limits since Saturday.
"Our crews have been working basically over 24 hours a day this whole entire weekend to address all the tree issues," said Widener.
The root cause of all the fallen trees is the ground being too saturated from so much rain.
CBS8 asked Widener if there is anything the public can do to prevent trees from falling.
He said pruning is key-something city crews do often.
"For example, last year, the city pruned over 40,000 street trees for proactive maintenance," said Widener.
But, what if the tree you're concerned about is on private property?
Widener recommends calling a certified arborist to come out and evaluate.
Ted Safford is an arborist with Certified Arbor Care.
He explained what he looks for when doing a tree risk assessment.
"Structure is probably the main thing.The structure of the tree, what are the branch angle attachments and we like to see wider angle attachments rather than 'v' attachments," said Safford.
As Widener suggested, Safford said pruning is important because it allows wind to go through a tree, as opposed to having a resistance which can often cause a tree to fall.
In addition to pruning, he said proper root zone care is also critical.
"It entails aerating the root zone, proper irrigation, mulching, and fertilization to encourage the roots to be healthy. The healthier the roots, the more they grow, the more they hold the tree in place," said Safford.
Safford said depending on the size and growth of the tree, pruning should take place every two to five years.
In terms of cost, he says it varies by size, but large trees can cost upwards of $2,000.