I am worried this tree is not going to make it. The leaves are wilted and several branches have died. The bark is peeling and falling off from the main trunk and branches. There were some ants but our pest control service sprayed around the base. I have not seen any other signs of pests.
We have had this property in Las Vegas NV only a few months and had to set up an irrigation system when we moved in. Some of the other plants looked a bit dried out but everything recovered except the fig. It still produces figs even now when temps are consistently over 100. 
The fig tree has two emitters of 16L/hour which come on twice a day for 15 minutes. In addition, I have been soaking the ground around the base of the tree once a day with a hose, and spraying down the tree. Is there any hope for recovery?

Posting a picture of said plant will help some members with their replies.  ; )

Welcome to the forum, Bob! Unfortunately, your pics did not post.

Maybe you could air layer some healthy limbs and make new trees for next year.

Our summers average 106 degrees daily, and our figs thrive as long as their pots are in the shade so the roots don't fry, but yours is in-ground, right?  I'm sure someone more experienced than I can give you suggestions.

Could it be getting too much water?  They don't like wet feet.
Suzi

I have spent a few hours trying to get a photo up. Any tips?

make sure the file size of any of the pics does not exceed 1 Mb. Otherwise, just upload them directly from your PC. No web host is needed.

Click the Go Advanced button below the message.  Then click Manage Attachments.  Then a new window will come up where you browse and find the photo on your computer.  Then upload it. 
Then post!  It should be there.
Suzi
If you resize to 640 x 480 pixels, you should be fine.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HavdR0rVFZhxuOfTn8V8iNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Wow!, you've got some serious sun scald going on there!
You may lose the tree.

First, Check your roots for nematode damage, the roots may not be drawing up enough water to combat the heat it's growing in if the roots are damaged.

Second, You can try painting the limbs, and trunk with white paint.
The paint will  act as a bandaid, to seal in moisture, helps reflect heat,  and seal out opportunistic insects that will try to get in the damaged bark to do further damage.

Third, take a soil sample immediately to your county extension agency for testing. You may have a soil deficiency, nematodes, or a toxic situation going on also.
Let us know what happens!
 Good luck!

I've never seen such a sad fig tree.  DO check your soil for nematodes, and do what Dan said.  Paint the trunks white.  I see so many green shoots trying to grow, so I think this is a tough tree, and it wants to survive!

Good luck!
Suzi

Does look like sunburn. I would be adding water, and some fertilizer and encouraging the suckers near the bottom to replace the existing scaffold branches. You can get the older branches to flush with new growth, but the loss of bark will always make them weak and susceptible to rot and disease.

Dan,

It looks like what ever is effecting the tree is coming from one direction. Could be a bon fire near by that got out of hand or high winds during the hot days.

Not a pro but I see some suckers growing so I would like to rule out the soil issues.

I like the white paint idea, just make sure it is not oil base.
 
If it is in direct Sun could a white sheet in front of it help?

You can take white latex paint and mix it with water 50-50% and paint your tree to stop sunburn. After this treatment you tree will look beautiful to.

Was the tree doing OK before it was sprayed for ants?

Always spray in the late evening so it will dry before sun up.
Never spray in sunlight, it will cause sun scald !
Especially if it's got an oil base to it.
it's like spraying a hot pan with cooking oil!

I suggest you do something that may sound weird, but it will help the soil.

Take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with water, add a tablespoon full of dish soap/detergent to the water and mix. then pour the water slowly around the tree's soil.
The detergent is a surfactant that will almost instantly wet the soil around the tree, and will make water penetrate the ground quicker, deeper, and more evenly. About 10 - 15 gallons should do it. (2-3 buckets full.)
The detergent will not harm the tree or it's roots in any way. And, it will disolve nutrients in the soil, to make them more available to the tree's roots. Also good for killing soil born bugs. I've used detergent and water for over 35 years, and it's never harmed a plant, bush or tree.

All these ideas are great!  Never heard of the soil detergent water, and I wonder if it works on the dreaded nematodes?

Here in our hot desert, Citrus line many roads, and most trunks are painted white to prevent sunburn, and we use neem oil on a schedule to prevent powdery mildew mainly, but we only spray at dusk.

I think if you can follow all the advice here, you can save your tree!  What kind is it, and since it has figs, what color when ripe?

Suzi

The effect of detergent, and water on soil bugs is it gives them diarrhea,
and they poop themselves to death.
It's not harmful to earthworms BTW.
I know from experimentation that (a little Neem oil can also be added)
it kills fungus gnats. and they're larva , cutworms, june bug, and japanese beetle grubs.
Soil infested with Mealy bugs, Thrips, etc..
It probably would kill nematodes too.
I've never had that problem in my soil. in over 35 years of gardening 
Or maybe I did, and didn't know it, because the detergent,
and water killed the nematodes.
I always treat my soil with detergent and water after planting so water will penetrate the soil better.
and make nutrients more available to the plants roots.
I'm sure if detergent, and water doesn't kill nematodes,
it certainly would sicken them a lot, and slow them down until other methods could be used to kill them.
It certainly would be worth the experiment.

Dan what brand of soap do you use or is this mater. I will try this method my self. Thank you Dan

I've tried every brand on the market,
They all work the same.
So, I buy the cheapest I can find.

BTW, Just for the sake of saving you a lot of clean up time,
and a lot of aggravation...
Always add the soap AFTER filling the bucket,
Or you'll just get a very, VERY foamy mess! LOL

Painting a trees trunk and or limbs with a solution to help sunburn is called whitewashing.
Whats a concern is your tree has some large cracks already in the exposed area and may be very weak or on its way and very inviting to bug infestation.

I think you are correct, Martin.  Boboomow says his tree is producing figs, and when a tree thinks it's dying, it does what it can to keep it's line going on!  This is why girdling the bark in an air layer works for root production, but in his case, the photos show areas where bugs might hide, lay eggs and multiply. 

I do think there is hope for this tree, and I wish him luck!
Suzi

You stated that you have had the property only a few months and that you had set up an irrigation system after you moved in. It appears that the tree has fallen into a state of decline due to drought. The root system has been severely damaged, again by lack of water. This occurred before you assumed the property. The tree is basically self pruning. The continued wilting is due to root damage. What the roots cannot support will die. This is why after you started watering the tree, it sprouted from the base. The limbs that have lost bark and split will usually continue down the path of decline. This is because the damage already done to them will allow disease and insects to continually damage them further. Example the ants. Not to be completely negative. With proper care the tree should continue sprouting from the base and the remaining root system should survive. That being said, the tree you see above ground has been severely compromised.

Thanks for all the advice. I also had an arborist look at it. He pruned the dead branches and fertilized the roots. I have not tried detergent or whitewash. I added sulfur and put up 50/50 shade cloth on the west so the trunk and lower limbs are now shaded. There has also been lots of new growth, adding some shade. However the bark is not healing, so I'm afraid those who prophesied gradual decline and inevitable doom may be proven correct. Meanwhile, I will try and propagate some new trees from cuttings and encourage the new growth coming from the ground.