When Is Tree Work an Emergency? A Harrogate Tree Surgeon’s Guide

A tree does not need to be lying across the road before it becomes an emergency.

Sometimes it is obvious. A large branch has landed on the roof, a tree has come down in the garden or access to the property is completely blocked.

Other times, it is much harder to judge. A tree suddenly looks as though it is leaning further than it did yesterday. Soil has started lifting around the roots. A branch has cracked but is still caught in the canopy. You know something has changed, but you are not sure whether it can wait.

That is usually the question people need answering: does this tree need attention soon, or does somebody need to look at it now?

We carry out tree work across Harrogate and North Yorkshire and are often called after storms, high winds or sudden tree failures. In most cases, the important thing is not trying to diagnose the exact problem yourself. It is recognising when a tree could present a danger to people, property or access.

If something has changed suddenly and you are concerned about what might happen next, it is worth taking it seriously.

So, what actually counts as emergency tree work?

Emergency tree work normally means there is an immediate, or potentially immediate, safety issue.

That does not necessarily mean the whole tree is about to fall.

A tree may still be standing but have a large broken limb hanging above a driveway. A root plate may have started moving after prolonged wet weather. A split may have appeared where two large stems meet. These situations can be just as important to deal with as a tree that has already come down.

Common reasons people call us for emergency tree services in Harrogate include storm damaged trees, fallen limbs, unstable trees and trees affecting buildings or access. T. Howie's emergency service covers Harrogate and the surrounding area and is available 24 hours a day for urgent situations.

Here are some of the signs we would not recommend ignoring.

A tree has suddenly started leaning

Some perfectly healthy trees naturally grow at an angle. If a tree has looked the same way for years, the lean itself is not automatically a problem.

A tree that has changed position recently is a different matter.

This is particularly important after strong winds or prolonged heavy rain, when saturated ground can affect the stability of the root system.

Have a look at the base of the tree from a safe distance. Things worth noticing include fresh gaps in the soil, exposed roots, areas where the ground appears to have lifted or a noticeable change in the angle of the trunk.

If the root plate has started moving, the tree may have lost some of the support that was keeping it stable.

Do not try to push it back into position, support it yourself or test how much it moves. Keep people away from the area and get it checked.

A large branch has broken but is still in the tree

This can be easy to miss, particularly in a mature tree with a dense canopy.

A branch may have split away from the tree without reaching the ground. It can then become lodged among neighbouring branches and appear much more secure than it actually is.

The problem is that you cannot easily tell from underneath what is still holding it in place.

Another gust of wind, movement higher in the crown or further failure at the break can be enough for it to fall.

This becomes much more serious when the damaged branch is above a house, driveway, pavement, children's play area, parked vehicle or somewhere people regularly walk.

Do not stand underneath it for a closer look.

Where a damaged section needs taking down, the method will depend on the tree and what is underneath it. On restricted sites, trees and branches can be dismantled in sections and lowered under control rather than simply dropped. You can read more about how this works on our tree removal and felling service page.

There is a fresh split or crack in the trunk

Trees are full of old wounds, marks and natural imperfections, so seeing a crack does not always mean an emergency.

What matters is whether something appears to be new or whether the structure of the tree has changed.

A fresh split running through the trunk, a major crack between two stems or wood visibly opening after bad weather is something we would want to look at.

There can be a huge amount of weight running through the main stems and branches of a mature tree. If one of those structural connections is beginning to fail, leaving it alone and hoping it settles is not a good approach.

It also does not follow that every cracked tree needs removing.

Sometimes the safest option is to remove a damaged limb or reduce some of the load on part of the crown. In other cases, the extent of the damage means tree removal and felling is the sensible option.

The decision should come from what is actually happening with the tree rather than assuming that "dangerous" automatically means "fell it".

The tree has been damaged in a storm

After particularly bad weather, fallen trees get most of the attention. It is worth checking the ones that are still standing too.

Strong winds can twist branches, damage root systems and partially split sections of the crown without causing immediate collapse. A branch can fail internally but remain caught in the tree. The ground around a large tree can also move without the trunk coming down straight away.

Once the weather has passed, have a look from somewhere safe.

Is anything sitting at an angle that was not there before? Can you see fresh, lighter coloured wood where a branch has torn? Is part of the canopy hanging lower? Has the tree started leaning? Is the ground disturbed around its base?

If the answer is yes, arrange for somebody to inspect it before another spell of bad weather arrives.

Our emergency tree services cover storm damaged trees, fallen trees and dangerous limbs throughout Harrogate and the surrounding area.

A tree has landed on a roof, garage or other building

At this point, the temptation can be to start cutting manageable pieces away yourself.

It is better not to.

Once part of a tree is resting on a roof, garage, conservatory, wall or another structure, the weight may be distributed in ways that are difficult to see from the ground.

Cutting one branch can release pressure somewhere else and cause the remaining tree to move unexpectedly.

The first job is to work out where the weight is sitting and how the tree can be dismantled without making the damage worse. Depending on the situation, that may involve climbing, rigging, specialist access equipment or removing the tree in a particular sequence.

If an insurance claim is likely, take photographs from a safe position before work begins. We can also provide photographic evidence as part of an emergency response where it is required.

A fallen tree is blocking access

A tree coming down at the bottom of a large unused garden is inconvenient.

The same tree across the only driveway to a house is a much more urgent problem.

Fallen trees can prevent vehicles getting in or out of properties, block business entrances or affect paths and other access routes.

If it is on private land, an emergency tree surgeon in Harrogate can assess how to clear the obstruction safely.

If the tree has fallen onto a public road or is creating a danger on the highway, that may also need reporting to the relevant authority.

The tree or branches are in contact with power lines

This one is simple.

Keep away from it.

Do not touch the tree, do not attempt to remove the branch yourself and do not assume the cable is safe simply because there are no visible sparks.

Trees and electrical infrastructure need to be dealt with differently from ordinary garden tree work. The electricity supply may need to be made safe before any tree work can begin.

If you contact us about a tree near power lines, tell us that straight away so the situation can be assessed properly before anybody approaches the tree.

What should you do while waiting for a tree surgeon?

You do not need to work out exactly what has gone wrong.

The useful thing you can do is keep the area clear and give the tree surgeon enough information to understand the situation.

Keep children, pets and other people away from the tree. Avoid parking underneath damaged branches and do not walk below them to get photographs.

If you can take photos safely from further away, send them over. A few clear pictures of the whole tree, the damaged area and what surrounds it can be extremely useful when deciding how urgent the situation is and what equipment might be needed.

It is also worth saying when you first noticed the problem and whether anything has changed since then.

What if the tree has a Tree Preservation Order?

This is understandably where people become nervous.

A Tree Preservation Order, usually shortened to TPO, protects a tree from unauthorised work. Trees within Conservation Areas can also be subject to additional controls.

There are provisions for genuinely dangerous trees, but the rules are narrower than simply deciding a tree looks unsafe. Evidence matters, particularly when urgent work has been carried out because there was an immediate risk.

We have covered the subject properly in our guide to Tree Preservation Orders in North Yorkshire. The existing guide also explains that photographs should be retained where urgent work is necessary and that professional advice is sensible before acting where circumstances allow.

If you are unsure whether a tree is protected, ask before doing anything irreversible.

Does emergency tree work always mean cutting the whole tree down?

No, and this is worth stressing.

The job is to deal with the risk.

Sometimes that means removing the tree. Sometimes it means removing one damaged branch, taking weight out of a compromised section or carrying out other remedial work so that the tree can remain safely in place.

Good tree work should be based on the condition of the individual tree and what is happening around it.

If the situation is not an emergency and you are simply trying to work out what your tree needs, our main tree services in Harrogate page covers pruning, crown work, tree removal, stump removal and the other work we carry out locally.

How do I know if it can wait?

There is no perfect checklist because every tree and every site is different.

A small dead branch over an unused part of a garden is very different from the same branch hanging over the front door.

A tree that has leaned in the same direction for 30 years is different from one that moved noticeably during last night's wind.

The simplest questions are probably the most useful:

Has something changed recently?

Is there a realistic chance of part of the tree falling?

If it did fall, could it hit somebody, a building, a vehicle or an access route?

If those questions are making you uncomfortable about leaving the tree as it is, get somebody to look at it.

There is nothing wrong with calling a tree surgeon and finding out that the situation is less serious than you thought.

Need an emergency tree surgeon in Harrogate?

If you have a fallen, damaged or unsafe tree in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon or the surrounding North Yorkshire area, T. Howie Tree Specialist can take a look and advise you on the safest next step.

Our team is City & Guilds NPTC qualified, fully insured and carries out emergency tree work across Harrogate and North Yorkshire. The emergency service covers storm damage, fallen trees and dangerous limbs.

If you think there is an immediate danger, keep people clear of the tree first.

Then get in touch with T. Howie Tree Specialist or call 07432 721374 / 01423 610379.