Hazardous roadside trees removed after January fire

Published on 03 March 2026

Pyrenees Shire Council removes hazardous roadside trees

Roadside tree assessment has been carried out in Pyrenees Shire after the Streatham-Yalla-Y-Poora fire, with around 50 high priority hazardous trees removed on Carngham-Streatham Road.

The assessment was carried out by arboriculture specialists Homewood Consulting Pty Ltd who examined 4400 mainly pine and sugar gum trees on 17 roads impacted by the fire.

A further 1200 trees have been assessed as potentially hazardous to road users but are categorized in the arborist’s report as moderate priority with an extended timeline for removal.

Pyrenees Shire Council CEO Jim Nolan said it is Council’s responsibility to make sure roads are in a safe and usable condition, including removing any hazardous trees on roadsides or private land impacting roads.

“However, before any further tree works can be undertaken, agencies responsible for the relevant funding programs must provide clarity around which works will be funded,” Mr Nolan said.

“Council needs to be sure the cost of these works doesn’t remain a debt to our general ratepayers.

“Council has a responsibility to ensure our roads are safe so where funding is not made available, we need to weigh up the range of risks and responsibilities we have before making a decision about whether works can be funded in Council’s overall program.”

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Fiona Henderson