Sonoma-Marin Tree Service connects Kenwood property owners with local tree service contractors for hazard tree removal, pruning, fire clearance, and arborist reports. Kenwood is unincorporated, so Sonoma County's tree ordinance and hazardous vegetation rules apply, and since July 2025 its fire service has been part of the Sonoma Valley Fire District after the Kenwood Fire Protection District merged in.
The Nuns fire and the Glass fire
In October 2017 the Nuns fire burned through parts of Kenwood. Sonoma Index-Tribune reporting described homes on Treehaven Lane and nearby streets reduced to ash. Across the valley the fire burned more than 56,000 acres and destroyed more than 400 Sonoma Valley homes, according to the City of Sonoma.
Three years later, the 2020 Glass fire burned about 67,000 acres across Napa and Sonoma counties and destroyed more than 300 homes in Sonoma County. It burned into Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, where KQED reported that control lines held and kept flames from reaching Kenwood, and Kenwood's evacuation orders were later eased to warnings.
That history leaves two kinds of tree work. Trees weakened by heat at the base can decay and fail years after a fire, so oaks and pines that looked fine afterward deserve a fresh look. And slopes that regrew after the fires now carry dense brush and young trees close to homes. dead tree removal and tree risk assessment cover the first; defensible space and fire clearance covers the second.
Sonoma County tree rules in Kenwood
Ordinance 6478, adopted in 2024, requires a county zoning permit to remove protected native trees 6 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet. The list includes the oaks, madrone, big leaf maple, buckeye, and coast redwood common around Kenwood. Removals generally carry mitigation, such as replanting or an in-lieu fee of $510 per arboreal value point. Exempt from the ordinance, per Permit Sonoma:
- Defensible space work under PRC 4291 or County Code Chapter 13A
- Dead, dying, diseased, or hazardous trees inside a structure's defensible space zone
- Insurer-required removals within 100 feet of an occupied home, with the insurer's documentation kept on file
A healthy redwood or oak well away from the house is a different case and may need a permit. Ask Permit Sonoma before you schedule it.
Oaks on the slopes, redwoods in the canyons
Valley and coast live oaks dominate the open slopes and vineyard edges, while redwoods grow in the cooler creek canyons on the way up Adobe Canyon Road toward Sugarloaf. Redwoods near homes raise their own questions about roots, foundations, and how much limbing is reasonable; see redwood removal and trimming. Old oaks near driveways and outbuildings are the most common removal and pruning requests, and narrow, steep access often means trees come down in rigged sections rather than in one piece.
Clearance standards
County Code Chapter 13A calls for a lean, clean, and green zone within 30 feet of structures and a reduced-fuel zone from 30 to 100 feet. Permit Sonoma and the fire districts inspect, and violations that are not corrected can be abated by the County with costs liened to the property. Limbing trees up off the ground, removing ladder fuels under oaks, and clearing dead wood near the house are the core of that work.
Have a tree on your Kenwood property you are worried about? Call (707) 634-8593, or request an estimate from a local tree service contractor.
Tree services in Kenwood
- Tree Removal → Removal of dead, leaning, diseased, and unwanted trees, including large oaks, redwoods, and eucalyptus on tight or sloped lots.
- Storm-Damaged & Fallen Tree Removal → Fallen trees, split trunks, hanging limbs, and trees on roofs, fences, or driveways after North Bay winter storms.
- Tree Trimming & Pruning → Crown thinning, deadwood removal, structural pruning, and clearance pruning for oaks, redwoods, and ornamentals.
- Stump Grinding & Removal → Grinding stumps and surface roots below grade so you can replant, lay lawn, or build, plus full stump removal where needed.
- Arborist Reports & Tree Permits → Arborist reports for city and county tree removal permits, protected and heritage trees, and construction near trees.
- Defensible Space & Fire Clearance → Limbing up, juniper and brush removal, dead tree removal, and chipping for Marin evaluations and Sonoma inspections.
- Oak Tree Removal & Sudden Oak Death → Dead and dying coast live oaks, tanoaks, and valley oaks, including Sudden Oak Death losses and protected-oak permits.
- Eucalyptus Tree Removal → Taking down tall, brittle blue gum eucalyptus near homes, roads, and fire zones, and dealing with regrowth.
- Redwood Tree Removal & Trimming → Redwoods crowding foundations, driveways, and sewer lines, thinning redwood groves, and removals where a permit allows.
- Crane Tree Removal → Crane-assisted removals for big trees over houses, on steep hillside lots, and anywhere there is no room to drop or rig.
- Dead & Hazardous Tree Removal → Dead, dying, cracked, and leaning trees that threaten the house, the street, or the neighbors, with the paperwork hazard removals need.
- Roof Clearance & Limb Removal → Lifting limbs off roofs, gutters, chimneys, and decks for fire clearance, insurance letters, and plain peace of mind.
- Tree Risk Assessment → A qualified look at a leaning, cracked, or hollow tree before a storm decides for you, with a written recommendation.
- Lot Clearing & Brush Chipping → Clearing overgrown lots, thinning small trees and brush, and chipping or hauling the debris for building, fire safety, or sale.
- Fruit Tree & Olive Pruning → Dormant and summer pruning for backyard orchards, old olives, and heritage fruit trees on wine country properties.
- Palm Tree Trimming & Removal → Skinning and trimming tall palms, removing dead fronds and seed pods, and taking out palms that have outgrown the lot.
- Tree Cabling & Bracing → Support systems for split trunks and heavy limbs on trees worth keeping, installed and inspected to industry standards.
- Insurance-Required Tree Removal → Clearing trees and limbs an insurer has flagged before a policy renewal or non-renewal deadline, with documentation.
- View Pruning → Opening up bay, hill, and valley views with selective thinning and reduction that keeps the tree healthy and the neighbors on side.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides fire service in Kenwood now?
The Kenwood Fire Protection District merged into the Sonoma Valley Fire District, with the merger completed July 1, 2025. Hazardous vegetation inspections in unincorporated areas are run by Permit Sonoma and the fire districts.
Do I need a permit to remove a dead tree near my Kenwood home?
Sonoma County exempts dead, dying, diseased, or hazardous trees inside a structure's defensible space zone from its tree permit. Keep photos of the tree before removal. For a dead tree farther out, check with Permit Sonoma.
My insurer wants trees removed. Is that exempt?
Removal of a protected tree that an insurer requires to insure an occupied home is exempt if the tree is within 100 feet of the structure. Keep the insurer's letter or email with your records.
Can redwoods near my house be thinned instead of removed?
Often, yes. Raising and thinning lower limbs reduces fuel and clears the roof without taking the tree. Removing a protected redwood 6 inches or more in diameter generally needs a county permit unless an exemption applies.
Request a Tree Service Estimate
Free to request, no obligation. We'll call you back to talk it through.
Request received
Thanks. We'll call you back soon.