If you live in Jonesboro or anywhere in Northeast Arkansas, you know that severe weather is not a matter of "if" but "when." Craighead County sits squarely in the region where spring and summer thunderstorms bring damaging straight-line winds, large hail, and tornadoes. Winter brings the occasional ice storm that can snap branches and topple entire trees under the weight of accumulated ice. And then there are the derechos, the massive, fast-moving wind events like the one that tore across Arkansas in 2009, leaving widespread tree damage from Little Rock to Jonesboro and beyond.
When a storm hits and you walk outside to find a tree on your roof, a massive oak split down the middle, or your driveway blocked by a downed pine, it is a stressful and sometimes frightening situation. Here is a step-by-step guide to handling storm-damaged trees safely and effectively.
What to Do Immediately After a Storm
Step 1: Stay Safe
This is the most important step and the one people most often skip in the rush to assess damage. Do not approach a downed or damaged tree until you have checked for hazards. Look for downed power lines first. If you see any wires on the ground, on a tree, or on a structure, stay at least 35 feet away and call Craighead Electric Cooperative or your utility provider immediately. Downed power lines can energize the ground, the tree, and anything touching them. Even if a line looks dead, treat it as live until the utility company confirms it is safe.
Also watch for hanging branches, sometimes called "widow makers," that are caught in the canopy and could fall at any moment. If a tree is leaning against your house but has not fallen completely, do not go inside the structure until it has been assessed. The tree could shift and cause a sudden collapse.
Step 2: Document the Damage
Before anyone touches anything, take photos and video of all the damage from multiple angles. Document the tree, any structures it hit, vehicles, fences, landscaping, and the surrounding area. These photos are critical for your insurance claim. Take close-ups of the damage and wide shots that show the full scene. If it is safe to do so, photograph the damage from inside the house as well. The more documentation you have, the smoother the claims process will be.
Step 3: Call Your Insurance Company
File your claim as soon as possible after the storm. Most homeowner's insurance policies in Arkansas cover tree damage to structures, meaning if a tree falls on your house, garage, fence, or vehicle, the cost of removing the tree and repairing the damage is typically covered. However, insurance generally does not cover the removal of a tree that fell in your yard without hitting a structure. There are limits and deductibles that vary by policy, so get your adjuster involved early. Ask specifically about tree removal coverage limits, which in many Arkansas policies range from $500 to $1,000 per tree with a per-event cap.
Step 4: Call a Licensed Tree Service
After you have documented the damage and contacted your insurance company, call a licensed, insured tree service for emergency storm cleanup. This is not the time to hire the cheapest crew you can find on social media. Storm chasers, unlicensed operators who follow storms from state to state offering cut-rate tree work, flood into areas after major weather events. They often lack insurance, proper equipment, and the expertise to safely handle complex storm damage. If an uninsured worker is injured on your property, you can be held liable. If they damage your home during the removal, you have no recourse.
Common Types of Storm Damage to Trees
Understanding the type of damage helps you know what to expect from the cleanup process and whether the tree can be saved:
Uprooted Trees
When a tree's root plate fails completely, the entire tree topples over, pulling a massive root ball out of the ground. This is common in Jonesboro's clay-heavy soils, which become saturated during heavy spring rains and lose their ability to anchor root systems. Uprooted trees are almost always a complete removal job. In rare cases, very small trees that have been recently planted can be stood back up and staked, but for mature trees, the root damage is too extensive for recovery.
Split Trunks
High winds can split a tree's trunk, especially at co-dominant stem unions where two main trunks meet in a V-shape without a strong branch collar. Bradford pears, silver maples, and sweetgum trees are particularly prone to this type of failure. A split trunk means the tree's structural integrity is destroyed. Even if one half of the tree is still standing and looks alive, the exposed interior wood will begin to decay rapidly, and the remaining half is now unbalanced and at high risk of further failure. Split-trunk trees are almost always removal candidates.
Hanging Branches
Broken branches that are still caught in the canopy or lodged against other limbs are extremely dangerous. They can fall without warning at any time, hours or even days after the storm. Hanging branches should be removed promptly by a professional with the right equipment and training. Do not attempt to pull them down from below. If the branch is large and the only damage to the tree, the tree can often be saved after professional pruning and wound care.
Leaning Trees
A tree that was straight before the storm and is now leaning has experienced partial root failure. The degree of lean and the extent of root damage determine whether the tree can be saved. A slight lean with minimal root disturbance may be recoverable with cabling and bracing. A significant lean with visible root plate lifting is a removal situation. An arborist can assess the root zone and make the determination.
Our Emergency Storm Response Process
At Delta Tree Doctors, we maintain a 24/7 emergency response line specifically for storm damage calls. Here is how our process works:
- Immediate triage: When you call (870) 771-3364, our dispatcher assesses the urgency of your situation. Trees on structures, blocking access, or near downed power lines are prioritized.
- Rapid dispatch: We deploy a crew to your location as quickly as possible. For high-priority emergencies, this is typically within one to four hours during active storm events, and faster during normal conditions.
- Make safe: The first priority is always to make the situation safe. That may mean removing a tree from your roof, clearing a blocked driveway so you can get your vehicle out, or cutting down a hazardous leaner before it falls. We coordinate with utility companies if power lines are involved.
- Full cleanup: Once the immediate hazard is resolved, we schedule the full cleanup, which includes cutting the tree into manageable sections, removing all debris from your property, and grinding the stump if requested.
- Documentation for insurance: We provide detailed invoices and before-and-after photos that your insurance adjuster will need to process your claim.
Working With Your Insurance Company
We work with insurance adjusters regularly and can help streamline the claims process. Here are a few tips that will make things easier:
- Do not sign anything or authorize work from a company that asks you to sign over your insurance claim. This is a common scam tactic.
- Get a written estimate before work begins, even in an emergency. A reputable company will provide one.
- Keep all receipts and invoices related to the storm damage, including temporary repairs, hotel stays if your home is uninhabitable, and tree removal costs.
- Ask your adjuster about coverage for tree removal specifically. Some policies cover removal only when a tree hits a structure, while others cover removal of hazard trees even if they have not caused structural damage yet.
Preventing Future Storm Damage
While you cannot prevent storms, you can significantly reduce the risk of tree damage to your property with proactive maintenance:
- Regular trimming: Crown thinning and deadwood removal reduce wind resistance and eliminate weak branches before a storm can turn them into projectiles. We recommend trimming every two to three years for most species.
- Health assessments: An annual or biannual tree health assessment catches structural problems, disease, and root issues before they become critical. Early intervention is always cheaper and less disruptive than emergency removal.
- Species selection: If you are planting new trees on your Jonesboro property, choose wind-resistant species with strong wood. Bald cypress, live oak, and Eastern red cedar are excellent choices for Northeast Arkansas. Avoid weak-wooded species like Bradford pear, silver maple, and water oak in areas where they could fall on structures.
- Proper planting: Trees planted too deep, too close to structures, or in compacted soil are more likely to develop root problems that lead to failure during storms. Work with a knowledgeable nursery or arborist when adding new trees to your landscape.
24/7 Emergency Storm Cleanup in Jonesboro
If a storm has damaged trees on your property in Jonesboro or anywhere in Craighead County, do not wait. Damaged trees can shift, fall, or shed limbs without warning. Our emergency crews are available around the clock, every day of the year.
Call us now at (870) 771-3364 for immediate emergency response, or submit your request online for non-emergency storm damage cleanup.