I used to mock tree risk assessments until a failed limb in Spokane

For years I figured tree risk assessments were just extra paperwork for guys who like clipboards. Then last March a 40 foot branch dropped clean off a healthy looking maple in Spokane and took out a fence and a shed corner. The tree had full canopy and no visible rot, but the assessment flagged a narrow fork union I would have shrugged at. Turns out the internal crack was way worse than the bark showed. I still keep it simple in the field, but now I actually look for those subtle compression ridges before I tell a homeowner it's fine. Anyone else changed their stance on formal risk training after a near miss?

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