Are the trees in your neighborhood strong enough to face monsoon?

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As part of Monsoon Safety Awareness week, a local arborist shared why it's important to consider mitigating the dangerous damage a storm can cause.

Trees can fall into roads and onto houses, some of which we saw last monsoon when wind gusts reached up to 72 m.p.h. in areas around Tucson. Pedro Perez with The Hood Arborists, shared why it's also important to protect neighborhoods.

“Where we’re here on the southside, it’s a more heat vulnerable area of town. When we have those big monsoon storms, it puts those big trees at risk. So if we lose those trees, we lose that shade benefit,” said Perez.

He visited "Gunny" Barreras Park to share some examples of the risks trees can pose during monsoon. When looking at trees along the road, he showed how the trees are usually pruned to clear paths for walking and driving.

“So that is constant canopy lifting, when a tree is overpruned and lifted too high, it becomes so top heavy that it’s at an increased risk of blowing over,” said Perez.

This is one of the many potential issues that could cause a tree to fall. He said now is the perfect time to be aware of these issues, and to know what exactly to look out for.

“You know whether they’re close to your house, leaning, maybe they’re damaged already, sick or unhealthy,” said Perez, describing some of the red flags.

Tasha Chhabra, also with The Hood Arborists, added why she believes it's important to take action if there's any cause for concern when it comes to trees.

"If you see something that could potentially be a risk, it probably is. It's important to address that when you see it because it can only get worse," said Chhabra.

The arborists recommended consulting a professional if any tree is at risk or in need of care.

Are you prepared for Monsoon? Check out KGUN 9's Monsoon Watch 2024 for everything you need to prepare.