Free tool
Crews and jobs
Storm capacity planner
Plan a storm week: crews, jobs per day and expected calls. See days to clear emergencies and a full-up text.
Open the tool: Storm capacity plannerStorm guide
High winds and derechos: what homeowners and tree companies should do
A derecho is a long line of strong straight-line winds from a fast storm system. It can knock down trees across many counties in one afternoon. This page has two parts: one for homeowners, one for tree companies.
By Umair Nawaz, Lirevon. Last reviewed: October 2026. General information, not legal or insurance advice.
Where this happens and what it does to trees
In general terms, derechos are most often reported from the Plains and Midwest through the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, mostly in the warm months. Strong thunderstorm winds and non-thunderstorm high winds can happen almost anywhere in the US. Check the National Weather Service for your own area.
Straight-line wind pushes trees over in one direction, so debris often lands the same way across a whole neighborhood. Trees with decay, shallow roots or heavy crowns fail first, but healthy trees can fail too. Many jobs come in at once, so power and phone service can drop at the same time.
Part 1
For homeowners
Safety first
- Call 911 for anything life-threatening, such as a person trapped, a fire, or a tree on a home with people inside.
- Treat every downed line as live. Stay far back, keep children and pets away, and call 911 and your utility. Do not touch the tree, a fence or a puddle near the line.
- Do not run a chainsaw on storm-loaded trees. Bent, split or hung-up trees hold stored force and can snap or roll without warning.
- Do not climb, and do not stand under hanging limbs. Wait for a trained, insured crew.
When the wind is up
Stay inside, away from windows and from rooms under large trees. Do not go outside to check a tree. Falling limbs are the main danger.
After the wind
Look from a distance. Call 911 for danger, such as a person hurt, fire, or a tree on a home with people inside. Call your utility about downed lines, and treat every line as live.
No DIY on storm-loaded trees
Trees that are leaning, split or hung up on others hold stored force. A chainsaw cut can make them move fast. Do not climb or use a ladder. Wait for a trained, insured crew.
Photos for insurance
Take wide and close photos and a short video of damaged trees, what they hit, and the date, before cleanup. Ask your insurer what it needs; this is not insurance advice.
Avoiding storm chasers
After a wide event, out-of-area crews arrive. Ask for a certificate of insurance, a written quote and a local address. Be careful of cash-only demands and pressure to sign today.
Leaning trees that did not fall
A tree that now leans, has heaved soil or has cracks may still fail. Keep people and cars away and ask a pro to look soon.
More help for homeowners: after a storm, emergency tree service and how to hire a tree service. Lirevon does not do tree work and does not list or rank tree companies. To find local pros, find local pros on Google Maps and read their reviews. Keep your photos organized with the storm damage photo log.
Part 2
For tree companies
Storm weeks are the busiest and riskiest weeks of the year. The calls come in a rush, crews run long days, and a missed call goes to the next company on the list. Plan before the season.
Phones
A derecho can bring a lot of calls in a few days. Set a storm text and greeting with a safety line, your area and an honest wait. Use one inbox. Missed-call text-back and an AI receptionist can catch calls while crews work.
Triage
Group jobs: life safety, tree on a home, blocked road or driveway, tree on a car or fence, and cleanup. In wide wind events many roads are blocked, so group jobs by area to save drive time.
Crews
Plan shifts and rest. Wind events can run many days. Match experienced climbers with newer ground crew, and plan for fuel, chain, bar oil and chipper knives running short.
Safety
Never cut near lines until the utility confirms they are safe. Read the lean and tension on every tree before the first cut. Hold a tailgate talk each morning; stop work if conditions change. See the job site safety guide.
Pricing fairly
Cover real extra cost such as fuel, travel, overtime and hard rigging. Give written estimates and explain them. Do not use desperation to raise prices. Some states have price gouging rules after declared emergencies; this is a short explanation, not legal advice.
Help from other crews
If other companies help, check their insurance, licenses and workers comp, and agree on terms in writing before they start.
Useful pages: the storm capacity planner, the storm response checklist, the storm season guide and pricing storm work. For missed calls in a rush, see the missed calls guide, our services and pricing, or ask for a free audit.
Lirevon is new and has no tree-service clients yet, with first case studies planned for December 2026. Nothing on this page is a client result.
Common questions
What is a derecho?
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm with a line of fast straight-line winds, usually from a fast-moving group of thunderstorms.
Where do derechos happen?
In general terms, most often from the Plains and Midwest through the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic. Check the National Weather Service for your area.
Is it safe to cut a tree that fell in the wind?
Only if it is small, clear of lines and under no tension. Many are not. Wait for a trained, insured crew if you are unsure.
What do I do about a power line on my tree?
Call 911 and your utility. Stay back and treat the line as live.
What photos do I need for insurance?
Wide and close photos and a short video of each damaged tree and what it hit, before cleanup. Ask your insurer; this is not insurance advice.
How do I avoid storm chasers?
Ask for a certificate of insurance, a written quote and a local address. Do not pay in full up front or sign under pressure.
How can a tree company handle a flood of calls?
Prepare a storm text with a safety line, use one inbox, triage by danger and tell people the honest wait. The storm capacity planner helps with crew numbers.
How should a tree company price wind damage work?
Cover real extra costs, give written estimates and avoid price jumps that take advantage of people. See our storm pricing guide.
Can a tree that stayed up still be dangerous?
Yes. Cracks, heaved soil or a new lean can mean the tree is unstable. Keep clear and ask a pro to look.
This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice. See the other storm guides in the storm hub.
Be ready before the next storm
Lirevon helps tree service companies answer every call. Get a free audit, see the services or view pricing.