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Wood chips: big pile, wrong spot

19 years ago

I registered with the county to take a load of wood chips generated from all of their winter cleanup operations. I thought the chips would be very useful for mulch. I carefully drew a map, and posted a sign in my yard where I wanted the chips...in a clearing as far away from trees as possible. Unfortunately the chips surprised me yesterday. I was away and they were delivered to the wrong spot. Now I need some advice:

Imagine a pile of fresh wood chips (probably mostly alder & fir, with pine needles, etc.) mounded, like a mountain. The pile is approx 10 feet in diameter and approx 5' deep at its highest point in the center. Five mature doug firs surround this pile; their trunks are one to two feet from the edge of the chips.

Are the trees in danger of being smothered by the pile of chips?

My original plan was to let the pile of chips sit and decompose for two or three months before moving it to locations where I want to suppress weeds and eventually plant shrubs and natives.

If I have to move the pile right away to protect those trees, can I use these chips as mulch right away? I would be applying them at a depth of 4-5 inches around mature fir, cedar and madrones.

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