Fontana, CA Tree Removal, Pruning & Palm Care

We provide tree service in Fontana, CA, including tree removal, trimming and crown thinning, palm frond cleanup, stump grinding, lot clearing and storm-damage cleanup from North Fontana and Sierra Lakes to Downtown and Southridge. Fontana sits close to the mouth of the Cajon Pass, so Santa Ana winds are a big part of tree care here. Parkway trees are City-owned, and heritage, significant or specimen trees need a City removal permit. Call (909) 479-2614 and tell us about your trees.

Fontana's tree rules

Fontana treats parkway trees as City property. Work on a tree in the parkway, including removal, goes through the City's Public Works department and its permit process. On private property, trees the City classifies as heritage, significant or specimen trees need a removal permit from Community Development before work. The City's tree manual explains its standards, and the City of Fontana is the place to confirm whether a tree is covered before planning a removal.

Wind country

Few cities in Southern California see stronger Santa Ana winds than Fontana. The winds pour out of the Cajon Pass and race across the north and east parts of the city, and that is where we get the most storm calls. Tall eucalyptus, pines and pepper trees are the most common trees that fail, along with fan palms that shed fronds into streets and yards.

The way to lower the risk is to prepare before the season: remove deadwood, thin dense canopies so wind passes through, and look closely at trees with cracks, leans or root damage. If a tree has already come down, see emergency tree service. Our Santa Ana wind prep guide lists warning signs to check.

Fontana's neighborhoods and landmarks

Fontana grew from a citrus and poultry town into one of the biggest cities in the Inland Empire, and its trees reflect that. Older neighborhoods near Downtown and Sierra Avenue have big shade trees and old windbreaks on deep lots. North Fontana and Sierra Lakes have newer homes with younger trees and palms. South of the 10 Freeway, Southridge sits against the Jurupa Hills.

Fontana Park on Summit Avenue, with its big lawns, sports fields and trees, is one of the city's busiest parks. To the south, Martin Tudor Jurupa Hills Regional Park gives the Southridge area its open hillside, where dry brush and wind make fire safety a concern for nearby homes.

Common tree jobs in Fontana

• Tree removal of failing eucalyptus, pines and dead trees, often in sections over homes.
• Tree trimming and thinning before Santa Ana season.
• Palm tree trimming to remove dead fronds and seed pods.
• Land and lot clearing on deep lots and vacant parcels.
• Stump grinding after removals and storm damage.
• Clearance pruning over roofs, walls and driveways.

Big lots and old windbreaks

Many older Fontana properties are deep lots that once held orchards or chicken ranches. Old windbreak rows of eucalyptus still line some of them, along with volunteer trees and brush in the back. We clear what needs to go, keep healthy trees worth saving and grind stumps where you want open ground.

Heat and drought

Fontana's summers are hot and dry. Trees that lost lawn irrigation often decline within a season or two. Slow, deep watering at the edge of the canopy every few weeks in summer, and mulch over the roots, help a lot. Thinning leaves, yellowing and dead branch tips are signs a tree needs attention.

Power lines

Many Fontana streets have overhead lines through mature trees. Any tree within 10 feet of a line must be made safe by Southern California Edison first. Call SCE at 1-800-611-1911, and SCE will send a line-clearance crew.

Nearby areas

We also serve neighboring Rancho Cucamonga, Rialto and Jurupa Valley. See all our service areas.

Eucalyptus over homes

The eucalyptus that line many older Fontana streets and lots were planted as windbreaks long before the homes around them were built. They are fast-growing, shallow-rooted in some soils and known for dropping heavy limbs, sometimes on calm, hot days with no warning. If a large eucalyptus stands over your house, a garage or a play area, have it looked at. Often, careful thinning and deadwood removal make it safer. In other cases, especially when the tree is hollow, leaning or has a large crack, removal in sections is the safer choice.

Commercial and industrial sites

Fontana has a large number of warehouses, industrial yards and commercial centers. Their landscape strips, parking islands and back fence lines often hold trees that are overgrown, dead or too close to buildings and trucks. We prune and remove trees on these sites with traffic and operations in mind, scheduling around deliveries and keeping work areas coned off.

Fontana's newer neighborhoods in Sierra Lakes and North Fontana also need structural pruning on young trees, which sets them up to handle the wind for decades.