Tree fell on your house? Here is what to do first.
Spokane gets two or three windstorms a winter that put trees on houses. December 17, 2025 hit 75 mph at the airport, a record. If a tree fell on your house, a limb is on the roof, or a fallen tree is blocking the driveway anywhere in Spokane or the surrounding areas, here is the first hour, in order.
The first hour
- If it is an emergency, call 911. A tree on a power line, a fire, or anyone hurt: call 911 first. No tree service can touch a live line.
- Stay out from under it. If a tree or limb is on the roof, stay out of the rooms under it. Do not climb up and do not cut anything that is loaded. Storm-loaded wood shifts without warning.
- Take photos from the ground. For your insurer and for us.
- Send the photos and your address to (509) 496-1838. We answer, even on the weekend. We will let you know tonight whether it can wait until morning or when we can be there.
Emergency tree removal: what we do when we arrive
An ISA Certified Arborist looks at the whole tree, not just the piece that fell. Hazards on structures come first. Our 72-foot spider lift fits through a 36-inch gate, so we can take a broken leader off a roof in a fenced yard without a crane. We photograph everything for your insurance claim, remove what is dangerous, and give you a written quote for the rest. That covers fallen tree removal, storm damage tree removal, a tree on the roof, and limbs hung up over the house or driveway.
What it costs
Every tree is different, and every emergency is quoted in writing after an arborist looks at it. Many homeowner policies cover removal of a tree that damaged a covered structure. Check with your insurer, and we will provide the photos and an itemized invoice. We do not surge-price storms.
How we answer
Emergency response is our priority. We are already working on the weekend, so a storm call gets a human reply, not a voicemail. The reply says three things: what we see in your photo, what to do tonight, and when we can be there.
Before the next one. Most storm damage is a limb that was already dead or a tree that was already leaning. An arborist visit in the fall, or the Trailhead Tree Care Plan, finds those before the wind does. When a wind advisory is issued, an emergency contact card goes up on our home page.
Where we answer
- Spokane
- Spokane Valley
- Liberty Lake
- Post Falls
- Airway Heights
- Cheney
- Medical Lake
- Nine Mile Falls
- Deer Park
- and outlying areas
Fire season, too
The other emergency out here is August. Defensible space is pruning work, and our crew is wildfire risk reduction qualified. What defensible-space pruning is →
Who to call, insurance, and other storm questions
Who do I call when a tree falls on my house?
If anyone is hurt, a power line is involved, or you smell gas, call 911 first. Then call a licensed, insured tree service to get the tree off the structure safely, and your homeowners insurance company to open a claim. In the Spokane area, Trailhead Tree Service answers emergency calls, even on the weekend: text a photo and your address to (509) 496-1838.
Does homeowners insurance cover a tree falling on my house?
In most cases, yes. Standard homeowners policies usually cover damage to the house from a tree that falls in a storm, and often cover removing the tree from the structure, sometimes up to a set limit. A tree that was visibly dead or neglected before it fell may not be covered. Check your policy with your insurer. We photograph everything and provide an itemized invoice for the claim.
My neighbor's tree fell on my house. Who pays?
Usually your own homeowners policy covers the damage to your house, no matter whose tree it was. If the tree was clearly dead or dying and your neighbor ignored it, your insurer may seek repayment from them. Call your insurer first. We can document the tree's condition with photos for both of you.
A tree fell on a power line. Who do I call?
Call 911 and stay far away from the tree and the line. Do not touch the tree, the line, or anything the line is resting on. No tree service can work near a live line until it is shut off. Once it is safe, send us a photo and we will tell you what happens next.
Who does emergency tree work in Spokane?
Trailhead Tree Service answers emergency tree calls across Spokane and surrounding areas, including Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls, Airway Heights, Cheney and Medical Lake, even on the weekend. Hazard trees on structures come first. If it is an emergency, call 911 first, then send a photo to (509) 496-1838.
A tree fell on my house. What do I do first?
If it is an emergency, call 911. Stay out of the rooms under the tree, do not cut loaded wood, photograph everything from the ground, then send the photos and your address to a tree service. Many homeowner policies cover removal of a tree that damaged a covered structure.
Do you charge more for storm work?
No. We do not surge-price storms. Every job is quoted in writing after an arborist looks at it.
“Hit with multiple storms … Trailhead has truly been a lifesaver.” Briana, Google review