Is this oak dying?

[5030]

Looks & sounds like the "Oak Wilt" we have here in MI.
Has killed a dozen of my trees in the last few years.

I have 2 with oak wilt but they always come back in the spring so I'd wait until next spring and see if they come back. Mine always have. Pines, not so much. Have 3 to take out and one is a bucket truck tree. I have my contractor cut them (trunks to bucket length) and off to the burn pile and he chips the branches and dumps the chips in the side yard and I use them for mulch.

 

[5030]

Having seen the standard of work from the companies hired by the utilities for tree trimming in this area I'd put them close to being the last ones I'd consider consulting for anything related to trees.

utility companies that hire out trimming could care less about saving anything. They get paid by the hour and butcher everything just so the power lines have an unobstructed path. Last thing on their agenda is preservation of anything.

 

[ning]

He said "yes, the one limb needs cutting first, then tree needs down. But it will be about 3 to 5 YEARS before we can do that! However...I do some tree cutting on the side, I can cut one limb (3" diameter) for $100 or drop the whole tree for $200 (20" diameter), but you'd have to cut it up and haul it off".

I sense a conflict of interest here and I'd call the power company again and tell them when he told you long before I got this guy to do anything for me.

nb I trust tradespeople who try to talk me out of spending money much more than those who tell me something needs to be done yesterday!

 

[Fuddy1952]

I'm in S.Central Virginia. I just called the power company, asking for a supervisor. He was very understanding and agreed "too many red flags". Tree needs to be dropped safely, Miss Utility marking line, etc.
He said in 2-3 days I'll hear from the coordinator who will arrange tree cutting.
Hopefully I'll be here, I don't want other healthy trees cut back too much.

 

[fishdrivel]

My power comes from across the road, two wires overhead (7,200 volts power and ground I assume?), over a few hundred feet to a power pole about 100ft. from house with transformer on it, then 240 volt 3 wire down pole then underground around to meter.
I had a nice maple tree not far from this pole that recently died, like within a few weeks it seemed. Not far from that is an oak leaves are falling, much earlier than any oak around.
Since the maple limbs were touching 240v posts as well as around up to 7,200v wire I reported it to power company Tuesday. Guy said "someone will be out 2-3 weeks.
Yesterday early morning doorbell rings and there's a guy from power company (?!).
He said "yes, the one limb needs cutting first, then tree needs down. But it will be about 3 to 5 YEARS before we can do that! However...I do some tree cutting on the side, I can cut one limb (3" diameter) for $100 or drop the whole tree for $200 (20" diameter), but you'd have to cut it up and haul it off".
Thinking about it, seems crazy to me. I could whack that limb in a minute.
My purpose in calling power company is the shock hazard.
Then I said I have a backhoe and could dig up the stump, but I'd have to have underground line marked. "Don't worry about that...the power line is buried 18 inches".!
Then I asked since the limb touched power...isn't that what killed the tree? No he said.
To me it all seems crazy...is it just me?
Thanks...

In my time as an arborist I found many trees touching power lines - even 12,000 volt lines. Sometimes that was very exciting!
Do NOT try to dig up tree with backhoe without clearance (10 feet minimum) If the tree contacts the power line in any way, you will get lit up - likely forever. OSHA says that only trained professionals can work adjacent to live circuits. Trained professional would be a licensed electrician licensed at that voltage or an arborist certified for line clearance at that voltage.

Note: Posted this before reading your last post.