Crews continue efforts to clean up downed trees across Sacramento
SACRAMENTO — Phones have been ringing off the hook for tree removal crews. They had an early start Friday morning as they worked through a growing list of downed trees in Sacramento.
No alarm clock was necessary for neighbors on 38th Street as tree removal crews got to work bright and early. They began their day with this tree, a cedar that toppled from the Olson family's front yard into their neighbor's dining room.
"They had just moved in this year, started remodeling, just finished the floors and painting, and then boom, this happened," Glenn Olson said.
Luckily, Glenn and his wife Devon's neighbors weren't home. In fact, they were busy attending their daughter's wedding. It's a 'save the date' that potentially 'saved' their lives.
"The branches went right through the dining room table," Devon Olson said. "It was a miracle that no one was hurt."
Now comes the aftermath. Planning a removal of this size is an orchestra and can take days to coordinate.
"We de-limb them first, take as much weight as we can off, [and] get the road clear," said John Haman with Haman Tree Service. "When we get down into the big stuff, we really need more equipment to get it off the house."
Once a team is assembled, the actual removal can take anywhere from three hours to all day depending on how smoothly the process goes. Builders stay on the scene to salvage the wood, and they've noticed a pattern.
"This species of tree has seemed to fall more than anything. Theodore cedar. Probably the 15th Theodore cedar we've seen in the past four days," said Evan Harris with Truwood Builders in Sacramento.
As the next round of storms makes its way to the area, there is an important piece of advice for homeowners.
"Trim your trees," Haman said.