A storm changes a tree fast. One that looked perfectly stable the day before can be dangerous once branches have broken, the roots have shifted, or the crown has twisted under the load.
The most common mistake afterwards is treating it like normal garden cleanup. A damaged tree is not just a messy one. It can be loaded, unstable, and a lot less predictable than it looks from the ground.
Keep clear of the tree, stay well away from power lines, do not pull hanging limbs down, and call for help if it is blocking access, sitting on something, or showing signs of failing. Safety first, cleanup later.
First thing: keep everyone away from it
If the tree is damaged, your first job is not to have a close look. It is to keep people out of the danger area.
That means:
- keep the kids and the dog clear
- do not stand under damaged branches
- do not park or walk in the likely drop zone
- stay well away from anything electrical
Trees often fail in stages after a storm. The branch that held on through the wind can still come down later when the load shifts again.
What to look for from a safe distance
Without going in under the canopy, look for:
- hanging limbs
- split branches
- fresh cracks in the trunk
- bark stripped off
- lifted roots or cracked soil at the base
- a lean that was not there before
- debris caught up high in the canopy
Those photos help explain what has happened, but they do not replace an in-person assessment where the damage or the remaining tree is unclear.
When it is urgent
Treat it as urgent when:
- a tree has come down on the house, the car, the shed or the fence
- branches are hanging over the front path or the driveway
- the tree is touching or close to power lines
- you cannot get in or out of the property
- the tree has visibly shifted at the base
- a big limb is half attached and moving
In those situations calling beats waiting on an email. Ring 0497 777 735 if it is affecting safety or access right now.
What not to do
Do not:
- climb the tree
- put a ladder up under broken limbs
- pull on hanging branches with a rope or by hand
- stand in line with a cracked or split limb
- cut anything near power lines
A branch that looks "nearly down already" can still move without warning when someone touches it.
Why a storm-damaged tree is hard to read
The canopy can still look mostly upright while the structure underneath has already gone. The things you cannot see from the ground include:
- twisting through the crown
- fibres torn at a branch union
- part of the root plate lifted
- load trapped in a broken limb
- cracks that only open when the tree moves in the wind
That is why post-storm work is often more involved than an ordinary prune or removal. What the damage has done decides how the tree can be made safe.
What usually happens next
Once someone has had a proper look, it generally comes down to one of four things:
- selective pruning to take out the unsafe material
- a heavier cutback
- taking the tree apart in sections
- full removal if the structure is no longer reliable
Which one depends on whether the tree is still fundamentally sound, or whether the storm has turned it into a removal question.
When a storm job becomes a removal
Not every damaged tree has to come down. But removal gets more likely when the storm has caused:
- trunk failure
- serious root movement
- repeated failure of large limbs
- structural damage that leaves the canopy unreliable
- damage so extensive that pruning would only be a stopgap
If the job has stopped being about maintenance and become about risk, taking it out is often the more honest answer.
What to photograph for insurance
If the tree has damaged the house, a vehicle or a fence, take photos before anything is moved — where it is safe to do so. The useful ones are:
- the whole tree
- the damaged area
- whatever it has landed on
- the base of the trunk
- the access and the surrounding site
Even where the damage is obvious, good photos explain what happened before the branches get shifted and the place is cleared.
Have a look at the other trees too
A storm usually affects more than one tree on a property. A limb might have failed from one while the trees next to it picked up stress, loosened deadwood or cracks you cannot see from below.
If one tree has clearly copped it, it is worth checking:
- other mature trees nearby
- trees sharing the same root zone
- boundary trees with dense canopies
- anything over the roof or the driveway
That can help uncover another problem before it causes more damage.
Common questions
Should I take the broken branches off myself?
Leave anything hanging, split, up in the air or near a structure alone. Even material on the ground can be under tension, so keep clear if you are not certain it is safe to move.
The tree is still standing — is it safe?
Standing does not mean safe. Plenty of dangerous post-storm trees are upright. What matters is whether the structure has changed, whether the root plate has moved, and whether there are loaded or hanging branches in the canopy.
Does insurance cover storm tree work?
That depends on your policy and the damage. What matters most at the start is making the place safe and photographing the condition before anything gets cleared.
What photos help most when I ring?
One of the whole tree, one of the damage, one of the base, and one showing what is nearby — the roof, the driveway, the fence, the car or the power lines.
What to do next
If the tree is threatening safety or blocking access, call. If it is stable enough to wait a bit, send photos of the whole tree, the damage, the base and whatever is close to it. We can take the details and discuss the next step.
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