Emergency tree felling is needed when a storm, lightning or strong wind brings a tree down, splits it or leaves it hanging over a house, a car or a road. Summer thunderstorms on the Highveld and winter gales at the coast cause most of these calls. The first job is to make the scene safe, then to record the damage, then to remove the tree properly. This page covers what to do first, power lines, insurance in general terms, and cost. Send one request and local teams will quote free, with no obligation.
The first hour after a tree falls
- Keep everyone, children and pets away from the tree, the roots and anything it is resting on.
- Look for wires. If any line is down or touching the tree, treat it as live and stay well clear.
- If the tree is on the house, check for gas, water and roof leaks, and switch off the electricity at the board if it is safe to reach.
- Do not climb on the tree or try to cut it with a small saw. A fallen trunk under strain can spring back with great force when cut.
- Take photos and video from several angles before anything is moved.
Power lines come first
If a tree is on or near an overhead line, call the municipality or the power utility and report it before anyone else touches the tree. Only authorised teams work near live lines. A tree feller will wait until the line is made safe or switched off. This can take time in a big storm when many lines are down, which is frustrating, but it keeps people alive.
Making safe versus full removal
Emergency work is often done in two steps. First the team makes the scene safe: cutting the tree off the roof, clearing the driveway or the road, and taking down any split or hanging limbs that could still fall. Damaged trees nearby are checked for cracks and lifted roots. The rest, cutting logs, chipping, removing the wood and grinding the stump, can follow a day or two later at normal pace. Splitting the job like this can help with cost and with insurance. See tree removal and stump grinding.
Insurance in general terms
Home insurance often covers damage a fallen tree does to the building, and sometimes the cost of removing it, but policies differ. Phone your insurer or broker early, before major work if you can, and ask what they need. Usually that means photos, a written quote and an invoice that describes the work. If the tree was a neighbour's, talk to them and both insurers. Keep every receipt.
What to include in your request
- What the tree is lying on or touching
- Whether any wires are down or near it
- Photos from several angles
- Whether you need a make-safe only first
- Insurance details and invoice needs
Emergency Tree Removal for different clients
- Homeowners: a storm-felled tree lifted off the roof and the garden cleared for the insurance claim
- Estates, complexes and body corporates: fallen trees cleared from estate roads and shared gardens after a storm
- Farms, smallholdings and plantations: wind-thrown gums cleared from fences, roads and sheds after a storm
- Businesses and commercial property: fallen trees cleared from parking areas and entrances so trading can resume
- Schools, churches and municipalities: storm-damaged trees at schools, parks and road reserves made safe quickly
- Developers and building sites: trees blown over on a site cleared before work and safety are affected
- Servitudes and fire breaks: trees on lines cleared by authorised teams after the line is made dead
- Tree fellers, landscapers and garden services: garden services calling in a crew with rigging for a tree on a roof
Frequently asked questions
How much does emergency tree removal cost?
Who do I call when a tree falls on a power line?
Will insurance pay for fallen tree removal?
How quickly can someone come after a storm?
Emergency Tree Removal by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg