Emergency Tree Removal
As homeowners, we often admire the trees on our property for their incredible beauty. Some of us even provide routine care to keep them thriving through every season. Unfortunately, sometimes despite our best efforts, our trees become sick or damaged. In these instances, tree care becomes absolutely critical and often cannot wait.
Leaving a sick, dying, or structurally compromised tree untreated can be dangerous, as it poses a risk to your family members, home, and vehicles. Gravity, combined with the immense weight of a mature tree, is an unforgiving force. To help you protect your property and loved ones and take timely action, our certified arborists have compiled the top signs that you need to call for emergency tree care right away.
A Large Branch Is Broken, Hanging, or Has Fallen
A large branch that has broken but is still lodged in the tree’s canopy is known in the industry as a widowmaker. This is because these branches are incredibly unstable and can fall without any warning. A gust of wind, a bit of rain, or even just time can be enough to send them crashing down. And the danger is obvious. A branch weighing hundreds of pounds can easily crush a car, punch a hole through a roof, or cause devastating injury.
Never attempt to remove a large, hanging branch yourself. This is dangerous work that requires specialized equipment and an understanding of physics and rigging to bring the limb down safely without causing further damage to the tree or your property. Only an ISA-certified arborist with a knowledge of ANSI A300 standards should prune a tree.
Even if a large branch has already fallen to the ground, it’s still an emergency. First, it can block access to key points on your property or create a tripping hazard. Second, the wound left behind on the tree is an open invitation for pests and diseases to enter and may potentially lead to further decay and instability.
The Tree Has Developed a Noticeable Lean Rather Quickly
Many trees have a natural lean, as they found it necessary to grow around other trees or obstacles to get better sunlight. This type of leaning isn’t necessarily concerning because the gradual growth process allowed the tree to adapt well to its less-than-upright stature. An emergency occurs when the lean develops seemingly overnight.
An abrupt lean is often a primary indicator of root failure. In addition to the sudden lean, you may see heaving soil or a mound forming on the opposite side of the tree or exposed roots. In any of these situations, the tree is in the process of falling. It may be minutes, hours, or days before the roots fail to hold the tree any longer, but failure is imminent. Cordon off the area immediately and call for an emergency assessment. A team of certified arborists may be able to save the tree with cabling and bracing or may recommend removal to keep your family and property safe.
There Are Deep Cracks or Splits in the Trunk
While small surface cracks in the bark can be a normal part of a tree’s life, you should be concerned by deep cracks or splits that penetrate into the wood, as these are signs of extreme structural stress. These dangerous fissures could be long, vertical cracks running up the trunk — often caused by lightning, frost, or internal decay — or they can be horizontal cracks that run perpendicular to the wood grain. In both cases, the crack severely compromises the tree’s ability to support its own weight.
Similarly, splits and cankers can cause devastating consequences and should be monitored. A split goes all the way through a limb or trunk, and a large, sunken canker is a spot of dead tissue. Emergency care is especially critical when these splits or cankers are located at the tree’s base or where a major limb connects. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the structure gives way.
The Tree Has Been Struck by Lightning
A lightning strike is a catastrophic event for a tree. But if you don’t see it happen in real time, how do you know your tree has suffered from a lightning strike? While some signs are obvious, such as a long, vertical scar of blown-off bark running from the canopy to the ground, many others are not. This is why it’s always best to have your trees inspected after any major storms. A certified arborist can detect damage that may not be immediately visible to someone with an untrained eye and recommend treatment or removal.
There Is Evidence of Advanced Disease or Internal Decay
Because tree diseases and decay develop slowly, it’s easy to miss the signs of a problem until the situation becomes an emergency. If you see mushrooms or fungi growing on your tree’s trunk, major branches, or exposed roots, you will want to call for an emergency tree removal as soon as possible.
The fungal conks and mushrooms are just the tip of the iceberg. By the time they appear, the fungus has already been hard at work for a long time, hollowing out the tree from the inside. A hollow trunk means the tree has lost its structural support and can collapse under its own weight, often with no other warning signs.
The Tree Is Touching or Has Fallen on Power Lines
This is an emergency of the highest order, as it involves a life-threatening risk of electrocution. If a tree or a branch is touching a power line, or has already fallen and brought a line down with it, you call your local utility provider. They are the only ones who can safely de-energize the power lines.
Under no circumstances should you ever approach or touch the tree or the downed lines. Electricity can travel through the tree and the surrounding ground, creating a deadly hazard zone.
After you have contacted the utility company and they have secured the area, you should then call for an emergency tree service. A qualified, insured tree care company will have the training and experience to work safely around utility infrastructure once the power has been shut off.
Call Your Local Emergency Tree Care Experts in Springfield, MO, Today
Are you in the Springfield area and believe you have a tree that poses an immediate risk? Call All About Trees for emergency tree services. We will respond promptly to assess the situation, secure the area, mitigate the immediate danger, and protect your property from further damage. We will then provide you with a clear assessment and recommend the most appropriate treatments and tree care solutions, whether it’s the safe removal of a hazardous limb or the careful dismantling of a failing tree.
If you see any signs of an urgent tree matter, or if your gut tells you something is wrong, trust your instincts and reach out to All About Trees for assistance.