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Last reviewed 2026-10-19

Tree Removal Cost: Yakima County, WA

Yakima Valley tree calls range from old cottonwoods, silver maples and black locusts in Yakima, Selah and Union Gap yards, to orchard pullouts on the valley floor and ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on lots up the Naches and Tieton corridors. HomeGuide's 2026 cost report, built from national data, prices an average tree job at $400 to $1,200.

West of the valley, it's big timber country. The Forest Service's 2023 FIA evaluation for Washington estimates about 1.16 million acres of forest land in Yakima County: fir/spruce/mountain hemlock 34.3%, ponderosa pine 28.5%, Douglas-fir 20.7% and western larch 4.1%.

The Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey counts 602 single-family buildings authorized in Yakima County in 2025, up from 418 in 2024.

Cost at a glance

Yakima County tree removal cost at a glance
Item	Typical cost	Source
Typical single tree	$400-$1,200	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Pine	$250-$1,600	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Land clearing, per acre	$1,200-$8,000	HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (national)
Residential burn permit (outside UGAs)	$55 per year	Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency
County landfill, clean yard and wood waste	$23 per ton ($7 minimum)	Yakima County

Permits

Cutting a tree in your own Yakima County yard doesn't need a county permit that we could find; city street-tree rules can apply.

Burning is run by the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency. Residential yard debris burning is allowed only outside urban growth areas (UGAs), from March 15 through October 15, with an annual residential burn permit that costs $55 (plus a retailer's agent fee, or $15 if bought by phone from the Agency). Burning inside a UGA, such as Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, Sunnyside or Grandview, is illegal, burn barrels are banned, and only dry natural vegetation may be burned. The county also restricts outdoor burning every summer from June 1 through August 31.

Disposal: Yakima County's landfill fees charge clean yard and wood waste a discounted $23 per ton with a $7 minimum, compared with $46 per ton for garbage; bagged or contaminated loads pay the garbage rate.

Step 1: check whether you're inside a UGA (no burning) and the current burn status. Step 2: choose chipping, landfill haul-off or a permitted burn outside the UGA in season. Step 3: check the fall zone for the house, outbuildings and Pacific Power lines. Step 4: compare itemized written bids. Step 5: call 811 before stump grinding.

Local conditions

Basalt ridges north of Yakima: the Yakima County Area soil survey (WA677) has 45.6% of its acres on 15%-plus slopes and 30.3% with bedrock inside roughly 39 inches (100 cm), per NRCS, so pines on Naches Heights and Cowiche Canyon lots often root in rock.

Dry valley soils: the valley floor along the Yakima River is irrigated orchard and farm ground, where trees depend on water and decline fast when irrigation stops.

Floods and fire: FEMA's declarations data list 14 weather-related major disasters for Yakima County, 9 of them floods and 2 wildfire declarations; the latest, declared April 7, 2026, covered severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and landslides.

Wind: strong gusts through the valley break brittle cottonwoods, poplars and silver maples, especially in spring and fall.

What drives local prices

Species: pines run $250-$1,600 on HomeGuide's species chart and maples $600-$1,200; a trunk-heavy cottonwood bids like the largest hardwoods.
Height: a 60-80 ft cottonwood or pine is $850-$2,000 in HomeGuide's height table.
Orchard pullouts: growers removing a block of apples or cherries pay by the acre, and HomeGuide's acre figure for clearing is $1,200-$8,000.
Disposal: clean wood is $23 per ton at county landfills, half the garbage rate, so keeping loads clean saves money.
Stump: basalt and rocky soil slow grinders; HomeGuide's survey puts stump removal at $100-$500+.
Method: HomeGuide's February 4, 2026 nationwide ranges supply the species, height, acre and stump dollars, so they're a starting point rather than Yakima Valley bids; the $55 permit is the Clean Air Agency's and the $23 rate is the County's. Checked October 19, 2026.

Common jobs

Cottonwood and silver maple removal in town
Orchard tree removal
Pine and fir removal on foothill lots
Wind-damage cleanup

Service area

We hear from Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, Wapato, Moxee, Zillah and Naches. I-82 runs from Selah through Yakima and down the valley past Sunnyside and Grandview, US 12 heads west through Naches toward White Pass, US 97 runs south through Toppenish, and Highway 24 crosses Moxee toward the east.

Pacific Power serves most of the valley; only utility crews should handle limbs near lines.

Need a price? Send the species, approximate height and what's beneath it through the free form below. You'll get an email back.

Communities: Yakima, Selah, Union Gap, Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, Wapato, Moxee, Zillah, Naches

When something can’t wait

Valley winds can split a cottonwood onto a roof or a Pacific Power line; call the utility or 911 and keep clear. HomeGuide's survey says emergency crews often charge 2 to 3 times standard rates; storm debris burning needs its own permit from the Clean Air Agency.

Questions about Yakima County

How much does tree removal cost in Yakima County?

HomeGuide's 2026 survey puts a typical tree at $400 to $1,200. Big cottonwoods and orchard blocks cost more.

Can I burn yard debris in Yakima?

Not inside an urban growth area. Outside UGAs, with a $55 annual permit, from March 15 through October 15.

What does the landfill charge for branches?

Clean yard and wood waste is $23 per ton with a $7 minimum.

Is there a summer burn restriction?

Yes. The county restricts outdoor burning every year from June 1 through August 31.

What storms bring trees down here?

Wind and floods. FEMA lists 14 weather-related major disasters for the county, most recently in April 2026.

Sources

Tree problems

Local fees and rules change. Confirm with the county or state office named above before you clear. For published price ranges, see land clearing cost per acre or follow the worked estimate. Estimate your clearing cost.