Storm damage & emergency tree help: Tacoma & Puyallup
Step by step after a tree comes down
- Get people out of any room or vehicle the tree is resting on. Loads can shift.
- Report utility involvement. Tacoma Public Utilities Tree Line: (253) 502-8729. Puget Sound Energy (serves Puyallup and much of Pierce County): line work within 15 ft of energized lines is the utility's job. The City of Puyallup lists PSE at (360) 786-5992 for pruning near power lines.
- Photograph everything before anything is cut: the tree, the base and roots, and all damage. The WA Insurance Commissioner advises calling your insurer or agent as soon as possible and taking photos or video.
- Limit further damage if it's safe, such as tarping a roof opening. Don't make permanent repairs until your insurer has seen the property.
- Call a registered tree company to make the site safe. Ask them to split the quote: emergency "make safe" work now, routine cleanup later at normal rates.
- Street tree down? In Tacoma, an imminent-hazard street tree can be reported for emergency inspection at (253) 591-5495. Emergency removals still need City notification and a permit within 30 days.
What insurance usually covers
From the WA Office of the Insurance Commissioner:
- Homeowner insurance usually covers damage from wind, wind-driven rain, falling trees, and snow and ice.
- It usually doesn't cover tree removal and cleanup unless the tree fell on your home, garage, car, or similar.
- If a neighbor's tree falls on your house, your insurer will often pay (minus the deductible) and may pursue the neighbor's insurer if they were at fault.
- Hiring someone to repair the home? Make sure they're registered with the state, even if your agent recommended them.
Storm season in Pierce County
Pacific Northwest windstorms cluster from October through March, with December the most frequent month (Mass & Dotson, Monthly Weather Review; UW Climate Office). Winter rain saturates soil, and tall firs with heavy crowns are more likely to uproot. On Nov 19–20, 2024, the "bomb cyclone" hit eastern Pierce County hardest, with a 74 mph gust in Enumclaw and widespread outages in Buckley, Carbonado, Wilkeson, Eatonville and Orting, and fallen trees blocking roads (The News Tribune).
Warning signs to check before the next storm
- A new or worsening lean, or soil heaving or cracking on one side of the base
- Mushrooms or conks at the base or on the trunk, which can mean decay
- Large dead limbs ("widowmakers"), cracks, or a split between co-dominant trunks
- Hollow or missing bark sections; carpenter ants or sawdust at the base
- Roots cut by recent trenching, driveway or sewer work
If you see these, have a certified arborist assess the tree. In a Tacoma or Puyallup critical area, a tree risk assessment is also what the city requires before approving a hazard removal.
Avoid storm-chasers
- Don't pay large cash deposits to door-knockers after a storm.
- Look up the company's L&I registration and ask for proof of insurance first.
- Get the price and scope in writing before work starts.
Who do I call first if a tree hits a power line?
Call 911 if a line is down, sparking or anyone is hurt, and report it to your electric utility: Tacoma Public Utilities or Puget Sound Energy. Stay well back and assume any downed line is energized. No tree crew should cut until the utility clears the line.
Will insurance pay for emergency tree removal?
The WA Insurance Commissioner says homeowner policies usually cover damage from falling trees and the removal needed when a tree falls on a covered structure such as your home, garage or car, but usually not cleanup of a tree that only fell in the yard.
Need a tree company after a storm?
Free, no obligation. We pass your request to one independent, L&I-registered tree company that serves your area. You get a quote from them directly. If we don't have a participating company for your job or town, we'll tell you so.