Tree Damage After a Boise Windstorm: What to Do First
Quick answer: After a storm, stay away from any tree or limb that is touching a power line, and call 911 if lines are down or sparking. Photograph the damage before anything is moved. For a tree on your house or blocking access, call a tree company that does emergency work. If the tree came from the street strip, contact the City of Boise.
Boise's windstorms regularly bring down limbs and whole trees and knock out power across the valley. Here's what to do, in order.
1. Check for danger
- Power lines: assume any downed line, and anything touching it, is live. Keep people and pets well away. Report it to Idaho Power at 208-388-2323 or 1-800-488-6151. Call 911 if it's sparking, on fire, or blocking a road.
- Gas: if a tree hit your house and you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from a safe distance.
- Structure: keep everyone out of rooms under a damaged roof section.
2. Don't cut it yourself
Trunks and limbs that are bent, twisted or resting on something are under tension, and they can spring back violently when cut. A tree on a roof usually needs rigging, and sometimes a crane. This is work for a professional crew.
3. Document for insurance
Before cleanup, take photos from several angles: the fallen tree, the damage, and the stump or break point. Then call your insurer and ask what they need before non-urgent work begins. Coverage depends on your policy and the circumstances.
4. Get emergency tree help
Call a tree company that handles storm work, and ask for the price before non-urgent work starts. Emergency, night and weekend work usually costs more. Emergency tree service in Boise →
5. Is it a street tree?
If the tree came from the public right-of-way (usually the strip between the sidewalk and the street), it's the City's tree. Boise removes dead, diseased or hazardous right-of-way trees at no cost to the adjacent homeowner. Contact Boise Community Forestry at (208) 608-7700.
6. After the emergency
- Have the rest of the tree checked. Storms often crack limbs that haven't fallen yet.
- Consider pruning or cabling other trees with weak forks before the next wind season. Trimming & pruning →
Signs you need emergency help now
- A tree or large limb is resting on your house, garage or car
- A trunk has split, or a tree is newly leaning toward a structure
- A broken limb is hanging over a walkway, driveway or play area
- A fallen tree blocks your only access
Sources: Idaho Power: trees & safety · City of Boise: Tree Removal · KIVI: strong winds topple trees in Boise