Storm-Damaged Tree Next Steps
What to handle first after wind or ice damage in Prior Lake, and what to leave alone until someone with the right equipment is there.
Direct answer
After storm damage, keep people away from the tree, avoid anything near wires or structures, and call if the tree is unsafe, blocking access, or resting on something. Send photos only from a safe distance.
What to do first
- Move everyone, including pets, away from the tree and anything under it.
- Keep cars out of the drop zone and rope off walkways people use.
- Look up before walking anywhere near the tree, hung limbs are the common hazard.
- Call your utility and emergency services first if any line is involved.
- Call 612-895-0042 if the tree is on a structure, blocking access, or unstable. Storm and hazard calls are handled during business hours, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
- Take photos from a safe distance for your own records while you wait.
What not to touch
- Any branch or trunk resting on a roof, fence, vehicle, or another tree, it is holding tension.
- Anything within reach of a power line, drop line, or service pole.
- A split trunk or a tree with lifted roots, even if it looks still.
- Ladders and chainsaws for overhead work. Most storm injuries happen at this step.
- Debris piles that may be pinning larger wood underneath.
When to call rather than wait
- The tree or a section of it is resting on a building, vehicle, or fence.
- The driveway, walkway, or a door is blocked.
- The trunk is split or the base has shifted.
- A large limb is hanging over an area people use.
- You cannot tell whether the rest of the tree is stable.
When to send photos instead
- The damage is limited to smaller branches on the ground.
- Nothing is touching a structure or a line.
- You can stand well back and still get the whole tree in frame.
- You want the rest of the tree checked before deciding on removal or pruning.
Where to go next
Questions homeowners ask next
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