Tree Service in Pacific Palisades, CA
Rebuilding after the January 2025 fire? Not every tree that looks burned is dead, so our Pacific Palisades tree service removes the dead ones and saves the ones that can be saved.
Tree care in Pacific Palisades
After the fire: which trees stay, which go, what to plant
The Palisades Fire changed almost every yard north of Sunset Boulevard. It burned over 23,000 acres in January 2025 and destroyed more than 6,800 homes and buildings. Not every tree that looks burned is dead. When the city checked its own street trees in the burn area, most only needed watching or pruning, and about 1 in 10 needed removal. The right first step is to have each tree looked at before anything is cut. Much of the Palisades is also in a very high fire hazard zone, so the new landscape has to be planned for fire safety.
A burned tree is not always a dead tree. Have it checked before you pay to remove it.
Who governs tree work in Pacific Palisades
City of Los Angeles
Pacific Palisades has no tree ordinance of its own — it is governed by the City of Los Angeles, and that jurisdiction's rules apply here. No pruning permits shall be issued for Historic-Cultural Monument street trees without written approval of Urban Forestry Division management. All tree planting requires a no-fee plant permit that is issued by the Bureau’s UFD. Additionally, UFD upholds protection of Oak trees and other native tree and shrub species protected by the City of Los Angeles’ Protected Tree and Shrub Ordinance. Rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work begins — filing a permit is the property owner's responsibility, not ours.
What we do here
Which trees stay? Pacific Palisades burned-tree checks and removal
Supreme Tree Experts checks and removes fire-damaged trees in Pacific Palisades, where the 2025 blaze burned 23,000-plus acres. Not every scorched tree is dead, so Pacific Palisades owners have each one looked at by Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We remove dead and badly burned trees across Pacific Palisades, even on steep rebuild lots. Under the city's post-fire rules, a dead or damaged protected tree on private land needs no permit, fee or replacement. The owner still emails the city to report it.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune dead and scorched limbs out of damaged trees so the survivors can grow back. Not every scorched tree is dead. When the city checked its street trees in the burn area, only about 1 in 10 needed removal.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Our crew grinds out dead stumps so rebuilding and new planting can start. We grind out large surface roots too. The chips can be hauled away or kept, depending on what the lot needs next.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We cut dry fronds and stalks from palms near the house, then shave the old frond bases from each trunk. Dry, dead fronds catch embers easily. A clean trunk carries far less dry material next to the walls.
Emergency Tree Service
If a burned tree is leaning over your home or a work site, call our crew any hour, 24/7. A tree like that can crack or fall without warning, most of all in wind. We take it down in controlled sections.
Tree Maintenance
Our yearly visits take out dead wood and lift low limbs, so flames have less to climb. Much of the Palisades sits in a very high fire hazard zone. Trees hurt in the 2025 blaze get a fresh look each time.
Tree Height Reduction
Our crews lower tall crowns near a new house, pruning back to healthy laterals and never topping. Less height means less weight and fewer limbs over the roof. On lots with rebuilds underway, we rig the wood down around the site.
Estate Tree Care
We look at every tree on a rebuild lot and help you decide which to keep. Some owners find the Army Corps has flagged a tree they love. You can sign a waiver to keep it, but the risk becomes yours and it may slow your rebuild permit.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
We shape shrubs low, clear out dead growth and trim hedges back from the house. The fire department checks brush clearance here from May 1 to June 30. Damaged lots still have to meet the rules, so book before May.
Landscaping
We plan rebuild yards with fire safety and water use in mind from the first sketch. California's new Zone 0 rules cover the first 5 feet around homes in the highest-risk areas. Mulch, wood fences, ladder fuels and low limbs are all limited there.
Hardscape
We build stone and concrete paths and patios that give a home a clear, hard edge. Paving near the house does not burn. On sloped lots from the bluffs to the hills, steps and walls go on firm footing with drains.
After the fire: the licensed Pacific Palisades crew with its own trucks
Tree work goes wrong when it is rushed or under-equipped. We run our own 75-foot boom trucks, lift trucks, chippers and stump grinders, and every crew works under an ISA Certified Arborist — so the job gets done right the first time.
We hold California license #1002853 for both landscaping and tree and palm work, we are bonded, we carry general liability and every employee is on workers’ compensation.
ISA Certified Arborist
An arborist looks at every scorched or damaged tree and tells you if it can be saved.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Rebuild crews will ask who is working on your lot. We are licensed (California #1002853, C-27 and C-61/D-49), bonded, and insured for every worker.
Southern California Since 1985
Tree removal and storm clean-up have been our work across Southern California since 1985.
Our Own Equipment
We run our own boom trucks and chippers, so the work is not waiting on rented gear.
From your first call in Pacific Palisades to the final clean-up
- 01.
Free visit
An arborist checks each tree for fire damage and tells you which can stay and which should come out.
- No charge for the visit
- Burned trees checked one by one
- 02.
Plan and date
We plan the work around your rebuild, your crews and the road access on your street.
- Timed with your rebuild
- Safe work on slopes
- 03.
Work and clean-up
The crew removes or prunes the trees, chips the wood and clears the site for building and planting.
- Site cleared
- Ready for replanting
Reviews to read before you book in Pacific Palisades
Every word below was written by a customer on Google, not by us. Long reviews are shortened to fit the card — never reworded. None of them was left in Pacific Palisades: they come from customers across Southern California. Read them for how a crew behaves on a job, then decide whether that is who you want in Pacific Palisades.
“Great pricing & service. Highly competent with tricky jobs. We have used them for more than 10 years.”
Melanie Butler
Local Guide
“We got bids from five contractors. After I talked to them all and checked out their licenses and work, we decided to go with Supreme. … The job took a day and a half, and when they were done, they left the place immaculate.”
Hank Shaeffer
“Great tree trimmers! I’ve used Supreme Tree Experts twice to trim the palm trees in my yard. … The guys who come out are quick thorough, and clean. And very careful not to damage property.”
Emilie Pacheco
“These guys have worked on my property 3 times now. They are always on time and do a fantastic job. I highly recommend them!”
Ray Thompson
“After soliciting several quotes on some difficult yard work, we chose Supreme because of their licensed Arborist Temis … The crew was extremely hard working and we couldn’t believe their continuous work ethic on one of the hottest days of the year.”
Gary Brown
Local Guide
Questions worth asking before you book in Pacific Palisades
The 6 worth settling before tree work starts in Pacific Palisades. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
No, under the city's post-fire rules. Removing a dead, dying or fire-damaged protected tree on private land needs no permit, no fee and no replacement tree. The city asks you to email UFD-FireRecoveryPermits@lacity.org to report the removal.
You can sign a waiver to keep it. But keeping a hazardous tree can make your rebuild permit harder to get, and the risk becomes yours. Have an arborist look at it first, so you know if it can really be saved.
California approved new 'Zone 0' rules in August 2026 for the first 5 feet around homes in the highest fire hazard areas. Existing trees and some kept-low plants are allowed. Mulch, wood fences, ladder fuels and low limbs are limited. New homes must follow the rules; existing homes have up to 5 years.
The fire department inspects brush clearance in the very high fire hazard zone from May 1 to June 30. Burned lots may not be charged the fee, but they still have to meet the rules. Dead branches, dry fronds and low limbs are the tree work that matters most.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Rebuild lots vary a lot — some trees come down fast, others need rigging around a rebuild. We price after we see it.
Yes, 24/7. A scorched tree can crack or fall without warning, especially in wind. Call 877-787-7363.
Where Pacific Palisades sits
Pacific Palisades runs from the coastal bluffs up into the canyons and hills.
- ZIP code
- 90272