Pacific Northwest winters bring wind and rain that can damage even healthy trees. If you’re dealing with a fallen tree, broken limb, or storm-related tree emergency, here’s what to do first.

1. Prioritize Safety Over Property

Stay well clear of any tree or limb that’s leaning, cracked, or resting on power lines. Downed power lines are especially dangerous: treat any line on or near a tree as live, and call the utility company immediately rather than approaching it.

2. Check for Immediate Hazards

Look for trees or limbs that are only partially fallen and still under tension: these can shift or drop suddenly and are dangerous to approach without training and proper equipment. Also watch for cracked trunks or limbs still hanging in the canopy above.

3. Document the Damage

If it’s safe to do so, take photos of the damage from a distance. This is useful for insurance claims and helps an arborist assess the situation before arriving.

4. Don’t DIY Large or Precarious Removals

A fallen tree resting against a structure, leaning on another tree, or under tension is more dangerous to cut than it looks. Chainsaw injuries and further property damage are common when storm-damaged trees are handled without the right training and rigging equipment.

5. Call a Professional for Emergency Response

A tree service with emergency response capability can safely remove hazardous trees and limbs, stabilize partially damaged trees, and help you understand whether a tree that survived the storm needs further care or removal.

After the Immediate Emergency

Once the immediate hazard is addressed, it’s worth having any trees that took storm damage, even ones that look mostly fine, assessed for hidden cracks, root damage, or instability that could become a problem later.

Emerald Arbor Care provides emergency tree service throughout Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region. Call (206) 558-2814 for a fast response.