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Fallen Tree During Extreme Weather: What You Need to Do

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When a tree falls or sheds heavy branches during extreme weather, any damage caused is generally considered to be an act of God when it comes to making an insurance claim. This certainly helps when it comes to being compensated for any losses occurred as a result of the damage, but what about the immediate aftermath? There are a few things you need to know about cleaning up fallen trees on your property after extreme weather.

Power Lines

Has the tree fallen onto power lines? If there's the slightest chance that any part of the tree is in contact with power lines, then you should not attempt to remove the tree yourself under any circumstances. Contact your local power department to stress the urgency of the matter, and they will dispatch a crew to remove the tree.

Property Damage

If the tree is a large one and you cannot conceivably remove it yourself or without specialist equipment, you should contact your local branch of the State Emergency Service (SES). This is a volunteer emergency service who can assist in the aftermath of damage caused by extreme weather. They can assist in the removal of any fallen trees, although given the high volume of requests that they can receive after extreme weather, cases can be prioritised. So if the tree has damaged your home or vehicle, this is an occurrence that would receive priority so that repair work can commence once the tree has been removed.

Making the Arrangements Yourself

If there is no property damage, or if the fallen tree was an isolated event in your region, you can arrange cleanup and potential removal of the tree yourself. Contact a tree lopping company in your area to arrange an immediate inspection. They will assess the state of the tree. It might be the case that only portions of the tree need to be removed in order to make it safe, allowing the tree to regrow. It might also be that the tree will need to be removed in its entirety. You should also contact your local city council to enquire as to whether the tree was deemed to be significant, making it the subject of a preservation order. You will need to inform the council that the tree was damaged, rendering it unsafe, and it now has to be removed. This prevents you from being accused of altering or removing a significant tree at a later stage.

It can be an unsettling experience when one of your trees falls over, but hopefully the damage will be minimal, and the cleanup will be straightforward.  


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