LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Consecutive days of excessive heat and lack of rain continue to cause a problem for most of the state -- and the signs are showing in the trees. But just because a tree looks dead, doesn't mean you should chop it down.
Reds, oranges and yellows. These colors are expected during the days of fall, not in the middle of summer.
"You see those discolored trees, they're dead," says David West, owner of David's Tree Service.
West says there are ways to tell if the tree is gone for good.
"Up on the higher elevations with the more rocky soil, not as good of nutrients, trees aren't as healthy and vigorous as the ones down on the low soil and more water," adds West.
When it comes to trying to tell if a tree is dead in your yard look and see about the coloring. The trees you see on hillsides that are brown are most likely dead.
The Arkansas Forestry Commission says one easy way to tell if a tree is dead or alive is how easily twigs or branches break in half.
Matt Shaw works for Capital City Tree Service. He says the discoloration can also mean a tree is dormant, not dead.
"They're going to start going brown. They're going to fall off because they just can't do it, it's kind of the way of the tree protecting themselves, like a safety thing," explains Shaw.
Shaw says some trees suffer more from the heat than others.
"A pine tree's [going to] have as not of a wide of a root system going throughout it. It's not going to be able to get as much water from the ground and stuff that it's [going to] need," says Shaw.
But before you get out the saw, give it some time to make sure it hasn't just gone dormant in the drought.
During times of drought, tree techs say the best thing to do is water trees and plants. This is especially valuable shade trees, like pines.
Thoroughly water the ground area under branches in the evening or early morning at least one to four inches. Without rainfall, watering should be done about every 10 days.