Removing Trees Close to the House in Cameron Park

Cameron Park filled in slowly as Larry Cameron's land got split into parcels. Today it's a mix of ranches, single family homes, condos and apartments. The 2020 count was 7,610 housing units. Trees that were small when a house went in can end up towering over it. Keep an eye on any gray pine or oak that sits right up against the eaves.

Here's what we hear about most:

• A gray pine leaning over the roof.
• Oak limbs resting on the gutters.
• Roots heaving a patio or a walkway.
• Branches near the chimney.
• A tree growing into the service line to the house.

Then there's the Airpark. People there roll airplanes out of backyard hangars, down streets that double as taxiways, to a runway 4,051 feet long. Tall trees by a hangar or a taxiway need extra planning.

Fire people care about trees by the house for a reason. El Dorado County Fire says embers can travel a mile or more from the flames. That's the most common way wildfires spread. A crown hanging over your roof is a landing pad.

County Fire's spacing rules for the house:

• The first 5 feet out from the walls should be non-combustible. That's called Zone 0.
• Plan trees so the full-grown canopy stays at least 10 feet from the house.
• Move needles, leaves, mulch and firewood away from the walls.

The CSD adds that branches should stay 10 feet from the chimney. It also says to clear burnable plants and stuff from under decks, balconies and stairs.

So sometimes the answer is limb it back. Sometimes the whole tree has to go. A pro can tell you which after one look.

If a line runs through the tree, stop. PG&E is clear that tree work near lines belongs to trained, line clearance-qualified crews and nobody else. They say to keep yourself and your tools at least 10 feet away.

PG&E keeps its own clearance around lines, 4 feet in high fire-threat districts. For a tree hazard near a line that isn't an emergency, their number is 1-800-743-5000. For an emergency, call 9-1-1 first.

Close-quarters removals are slow on purpose. A climber or a lift gets up top. The tree gets taken down in small pieces, top first. Each piece gets tied off and lowered with ropes, so nothing drops on the roof.

Bigger trees might need a crane or a bucket truck. Tight backyards might mean carrying everything out by hand. The pro will tell you which after the visit. Either way, ask how they'll protect the lawn, the sprinklers and the fence on the way in and out.

Clean up should be part of the price. Ask, so there's no surprise.

Close to the house means slower work, and slower means more money. These ranges come from This Old House and Thumbtack. They're a ballpark.

Sources: This Old House tree removal guide (updated March 2026); Thumbtack tree removal guide, stump grinding guide (October 2026) and Sacramento tree removal page.

A real example from Thumbtack's Sacramento page: a medium hackberry growing too close to a home, with roots damaging the foundation, cost $1,500 to remove.

If a tree comes down on the house in a storm, call your insurance. This Old House says homeowners insurance may cover it when a covered event like a windstorm causes the fall.

A lot of Cameron Park streets have CC&Rs run by the CSD. Its ARC handbook lists tree removals as work that needs approval. Skip that step and the CSD says it's a potential violation, with possible extra fees. See oak removal and permits for how the ARC works.

• We dig up a tree company in Cameron Park that's good at tight jobs near houses.
• We get the visit on the calendar, so you aren't waiting on callbacks.
• We can help you line up two quotes side by side.
• Calling us is free.

We're the front door. The tree company names the price and handles the job.

1. Call us at (530) 457-1414. Or use the online form.
2. Tell us what the tree is over or near: roof, deck, fence, line.
3. Send a photo if the pro asks for one.
4. We set the visit.
5. The pro gives you a written price and a plan.
6. Pick a day. Move the cars and patio stuff out of the way.

Dead tree over the house? See dead tree removal in Cameron Park. Stump left after? See stump grinding in Cameron Park. Live in Folsom? See Folsom tree removal. Or go home.