Dead Ash Trees in Allen County: When Should You Remove Them?
By Aaron Stirratt, co-owner
Aaron runs Whitetail Tree Services with his brother Corey, handling small tree removal, felling, trimming and stump grinding across Fort Wayne and surrounding areas.
September 29, 2026
Remove a dead ash tree as soon as practical — ideally within a year or two of it dying. Ash killed by emerald ash borer dries out and becomes brittle much faster than most trees, which makes it more likely to drop limbs and harder (and more expensive) to take down safely later.
Why ash is different
Emerald ash borer has killed a large share of the ash trees in Allen County. Once an ash dies, the wood loses moisture quickly and can snap unpredictably. As it deteriorates, the tree may no longer fit the ground-based removal services we offer.
Signs your ash is dead or dying
- Sparse foliage starting from the top
- Bark splitting or falling off in patches
- Small D-shaped exit holes in the bark
- Woodpeckers working the trunk heavily (they're after larvae)
- Shoots sprouting from the lower trunk
- No leaves in late spring when other trees have leafed out
When it's urgent
Call sooner rather than later if the tree leans toward your house, garage, driveway, fence, a play area or power lines, or if large limbs have already fallen. Those are the situations where waiting costs the most.
Can a dead ash be saved?
No. Treatments can protect healthy ash trees, but once a tree is dead or mostly bare, removal is the only option.
What removal looks like
If there's enough open space, we may fell the tree in a planned direction. For trees near structures, send us a photo and we'll tell you honestly whether the job fits our services. Brush clean-up and stump grinding can be included when appropriate.