What to Do When a Tree Comes Down
When a tree fails onto a house, a car, or across a driveway, the instinct is to start dealing with it immediately. The most important thing is to slow down for a moment and assess, because the hazards in a tree-failure scene are not always the obvious ones.
5 min read · Updated
First: make it safe
Before anyone approaches a downed tree, look for what could still hurt someone.
- Assume any line the tree is touching is live, and keep everyone well clear — call the utility, not us, for lines.
- Look up for hung-up limbs and broken branches still in the canopy that could drop.
- A fallen tree can be under enormous spring tension — cutting the wrong piece can release it violently. This is why storm cutting is dangerous.
- Get people and pets away from the tree and anything it is leaning on.
Then: document and call
Once everyone is safe, photograph the damage from several angles before anything is moved — it makes the insurance claim far easier. Then call a professional for anything involving a structure, a vehicle, tension in the wood, or height. Temporary measures like tarping a roof opening can prevent further water damage, but the tree itself is a job for a crew with rigging.
We run emergency service 24/7 for exactly these situations. Storm season in the foothills means saturated soil dropping shallow-rooted pines and snow-loaded conifers failing overnight, and a fast response limits the secondary damage.
Want a professional to take a look?
Guides only go so far. For a real assessment of your trees, Barker Tree Services offers free on-site estimates across Placer and Nevada Counties.
Call (530) 802-1271Related guides
How to Spot a Hazardous Tree
The warning signs that a tree may be a risk to your home or family, and which ones mean it is time to call a professional.
Defensible Space in Placer & Nevada County: A Homeowner’s Guide
How defensible space and the proposed Zone 0 ember-resistant zone work for foothill properties, and how tree work fits the 100-foot standard.