My wife and I are completely surrounded by tall fir trees. Approximately 25% of the fir trees in our area are dead or dying because of an ongoing bark beetle infestation. King County is controlled by greenies in Seattle who desire and demand that all pesticides be banned for forestry uses in this area.
I don’t know what stunk up your tree. At the concentration levels and degradation rates used with chemicals that control pests that kill trees there is almost no chance that you would be able to smell any of the commonly used compounds. For 8 years before I became a Hazmat Officer for a Big City Fire Department, I worked in the lumber business.
It is most likely that your tree was exposed to diesel smoke from the trucks that transported them to market. The additives now used in diesel fuels for “pollution” control make the exhaust smell much stronger and more disgusting and “chemical like” than ever before.
“greenies in Seattle”
I had not seen an NFL football game segment in years, until yesterday.
I did not recognize the team wearing the road maintenance color: “greenie PJs”.