Tree services · Courtenay
Storm and danger trees in Courtenay
Windthrow across the Comox Valley usually arrives on a southeasterly, and a stem caught in another tree carries load that a standing tree does not. Assessment follows the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification method. BC Hydro holds a 3 metre approach limit on lines between 750 volts and 75 kV, so anything inside that goes to the utility before anyone climbs.
A tree that has already moved is the one to be careful with. The energy that brought it down is still in it, and cutting the wrong fibre first is how people get hurt.
What should you do before we arrive?
Stay out from under it and tell us what is holding it up — another tree, a fence, the roof, or nothing at all. That one sentence changes the equipment we bring. If any part of the tree is within 3 metres of a line carrying between 750 volts and 75 kV, call BC Hydro and not us; they will make it safe before we can work on it.
When is a standing tree actually dangerous?
Not every leaning tree is. What we look at is whether the lean is new, whether the ground on the upslope side has lifted, whether the top has died back, and what would be underneath if it came down. Western red cedar along this coast has been thinning at the top through the dry summers, and a dead top has to be climbed differently from a live one.
Does a hazardous tree still need a permit?
In the City of Courtenay a hazardous tree permit is issued at no charge. That is the municipality removing the cost, not the requirement — the paperwork still happens, and we still do it. Read the tree bylaws that apply here before you assume your tree is exempt.
People also ask
A tree fell on my fence — who pays?
That is between you and your insurer. We can give you a written description of what came down and why.
Can you tarp a roof?
No. We clear the tree off it; a roofer closes it in.
Is a hung-up tree urgent?
Treat it as one. It is holding energy and it can release without warning.
For related help, see tree removal and pruning and limbing. See also tree bylaws and permits.
Tree work in nearby communities
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- Compare tree removal costsWhat removals typically cost.Read more
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- Pruning and limbingDeadwood, roof clearance and canopy reduction cut to ANSI A300. Branches near an energised line go to the utility first.Read more
- Courtenay Tree Removal homeRead more