Five old-growth redwood trees, estimated to be 200-300 years old, were removed from a residential property in Lower Redway, California, after the owner obtained a hazard tree exemption from CalFire, citing safety concerns about branches damaging the house. The removal has sparked outrage among residents and environmental advocates, with the Environmental Protection Information Center questioning whether alternatives such as limbing dangerous branches were properly considered. The controversy has prompted Humboldt County’s Planning and Building Department to re-evaluate its approach to hazard tree exemptions after discovering an inconsistency between its practices and California regulations requiring compliance with local zoning ordinances. CalFire has since launched an investigation into the matter.
Read the full article here → https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/jan/29/five-old-growth-redwoods-were-cut-down-lower-redwa/