Thank you for contacting the UVM Master Gardner Helpline with your question.  I’m sorry that your pear tree is losing branches. So frustrating after you have enjoyed its fruit in the past.

Unfortunately, without a clear picture of the tree, it is difficult for us to give you a definite answer as to what is causing your branches to die. Ann, who is the Director of the Plant Diagnostic Client, did suggest the possibility that what you are experiencing is “fire blight”.

If you want to do some research into that possibility, I can recommend this article from the Ohio State University Extension entitled “Fire Blight of Apples and Pears”: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/plpath-fru-22-0

The University of Missouri Extension published a “Fire Blight” article which has information about controlling fire blight: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6020

Purdue University offers this article entitled “Purdue Expert: Trees can get ‘burned again by fire blight”: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/Q2/purdue-expert-trees-can-get-burned-again-by-fire-blight.html

If you send us some pictures of the tree, the dying branches, forks between the tree and the branch, and anything else that might help us diagnose your trees illness, we would be glad to provide additional guidance.

Please feel free to reach out if we can provide further information about your pear tree, or about any other gardening questions you may have.

Thanks for sending us some pictures. I’ll ask Ann, Head of Plant Diagnostic Clinic, for her input. Most likely she won’t get back to us until after the holiday weekend.

Thanks for your patience.

Laura