Emergency Storm Tree Service in Boise, ID

Emergency storm tree service is about getting a fallen tree or broken limb off a house, a car or a driveway without making the damage worse. Boise does not get hurricanes, and tornadoes are rare in Ada County, but summer thunderstorms with strong gusts, and a heavy wet snow on trees that still have their leaves bring down limbs and sometimes whole trees. A storm-damaged tree is under tension in ways that are hard to read, so the first job is making the scene safe; the cleanup comes after.

First, the power lines

If a tree or limb is touching a power line, stay away from both and call Idaho Power at 208-388-2323, and 911 if anyone is hurt or there is fire. Boise Community Forestry's emergency guidance says the same: do not approach wires. Idaho Power asks that no one trim or remove a tree near a line themselves. Once the utility has cleared or de-energized the line, we can take care of the tree.

What we do first

We sort the calls by danger: a tree through a roof or blocking the only way out of a house comes before a limb across a lawn. On site, we look at how the tree is loaded. A trunk pinned under its own weight, a limb hung up in another tree, or a root plate half lifted can all move suddenly when cut. We take weight off in small pieces, lower sections off the roof with ropes rather than dragging them, and stop at a point where the house can be covered or tarped.

Street trees and your own trees

If the tree that broke is a City of Boise street tree, call Community Forestry at (208) 608-7700, or (208) 489-6638 after hours and on weekends; the city removes debris from public trees. For a private tree, city crews may push branches out of the street or off the sidewalk, but the owner is responsible for hauling them away. When you call the city, be ready to say the address, how big the tree or branch is, and whether it is hanging in the tree or on the ground.

Insurance and records

Before anything is moved, if it is safe, take photos of the tree and the damage from several angles. Your homeowner's insurer will want them. We write up what was done, tree by tree, so you have a clear record for a claim. Whether the policy covers removal depends on your policy and what the tree hit; ask your insurer.

Preventing the next one

Most trees that fail in a storm had a weakness first: dead wood, a crack, a tight fork with bark trapped inside, or decay at the base. After the cleanup, we will point out any other trees on the property that show the same signs, so they can be pruned or removed on a normal schedule instead of in the next storm.