Paint Markings in the Burn Area

Law enforcement, government agencies and utilities utilize specific markings to indicate various things in areas impacted by the Camp Fire. Please see the key below for more information on what specific paint markings mean.

Tree Markings
Trees Marked by Utility Providers
The following markings on trees in the burn area identify the level of threat the tree poses to utilities.

• P1 – Tree poses extreme and immediate danger to utilities. Most P1 trees have already been removed or will be removed as soon as possible.
• P2 – Tree poses danger to utilities and will be removed within 12 months.
•  NC – Tree poses low immediate threat to utilities. These trees are within the modern utility setback (16 feet each way from lines/poles or a 32 foot corridor). Trees will be removed as utility repair is finalized over the next few years.

Trees Marked by the Town of Paradise
The Town of Paradise marked trees with the marking listed below.

• An orange “F” above an orange “X” – Tree poses danger to utilities or public right-of-way and will be removed within 12 months.

Phase I (Hazardous Waste Removal) Marking by the U.S. EPA
U.S. EPA arborists are assessing some trees in the burn area to identify the threat the trees pose to Phase I workers who are removing hazardous wastes from structures destroyed and damaged by the Camp Fire.

• White “X” – Tree or tree limbs will be assessed during Phase II Debris Removal to determine if they are hazardous to work crews. If deemed hazardous, they will be removed. After the Phase II assessment, any remaining trees with a white “X” were determined to pose no hazard to work crews and do not require removal.
• White “=” – Tree or tree limbs pose a risk to workers and should be treated with caution. Workers should not park under trees with this mark.
• White “T” on the ground at the entrance to a property – Trees or tree limbs were assessed only for risk to Phase 1 workers and found to not pose a risk to workers.

White X Marks on Tanks and Other Metal Containers

White X marks on small propane tanks, water heaters and other metal containers or structures mean that EPA or DTSC Phase 1 workers have assessed them and have removed any hazardous content from them (if any) so that Phase 2 workers know their status during their cleanup. Typically those metal containers may be recyclable or may be treated as non-hazardous debris for disposal.

Orange X
An orange X may be painted on structures, cars or even trees. These Xs indicate that a Search and Recovery team completed a search of that area. Notes or numbers around the X provided key information to teams as they completed recovery efforts.

Infrastructure/Utility Markings
Utilities use a common color code to indicate various underground utilities and planned work.

A list of common abbreviations is available here: http://commongroundalliance.com/best-practices/best-practices-guide/common-abbreviations

You can also visit http://usanorth811.org/ for additional information.