Question
We just finished having our house built in early March.  There are several nice large oak trees in the front yard.  When the house was first being built in late fall, the builder took the scrap framing lumber and had a huge bonfire in the front yard between a few of the oak trees.  Several of the limbs and leaves of the trees that were close to the fire were singed. The dead, burned leaves never dropped over the winter. Now it's spring and there's no new growth on any of the limbs, just dead leaves, however there is some new growth on the trunks. We're concerned that the trees may be completely dead. Is there anything we can do to salvage the limbs that don't have new growth if the whole tree isn't dead?

Answer
The limbs maybe dead. If the trees are sprouting new growth from the trunk the root system and the tree is still alive. About all that you can do is just wait and see. Some of the limbs may sprout new growth if not these can be cut later. The limbs away from the burn may still be ok. It is hard to give detail advice without seeing the tree and the conditions it is growing in. If you are in the US you might contact the local office of the State Forestry agency and ask one of their Foresters to come take a look. They can see things that are hard to describe in writing. Their phone number should be in your local phone book. This is a free service.