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Serving Berkeley, CA and surrounding areas. (341) 201-0734
A tree down after a storm is stressful. We respond fast, clear the hazard safely, and handle Berkeley's permit requirements so you don't have to.
Emergency tree service in Berkeley covers trees or large branches that pose an immediate threat to your home, car, power lines, or someone's safety - most hazards can be cleared within two to four hours, with larger or more complex jobs taking a full day.
Berkeley's mix of eucalyptus, Monterey pine, and mature oaks means that storm damage here looks different from other cities. Eucalyptus in particular can drop enormous limbs with very little warning, even on calm days - a phenomenon arborists call sudden limb drop. If you have a tree on your roof, a limb hanging over your driveway, or a trunk leaning in a new direction after last night's wind, that is the moment to call, not tomorrow.
If a fallen tree has left a stump behind, we can schedule stump grinding in Berkeley as a follow-up visit once the immediate hazard is resolved.
If a tree or major limb has come down on your home, fence, car, or is blocking your driveway or a public sidewalk, call immediately. Keep people away and, if the tree is touching your roof, stay out of the rooms directly below it until a professional has assessed the situation.
Berkeley's fall Diablo winds can loosen root systems overnight. A tree that is suddenly leaning in a direction it wasn't before is telling you something has changed underground. A newly leaning tree near your home or a neighbor's property needs a professional assessment within 24 hours, not at your next convenient weekend.
A crack running along the trunk or through the base of a large limb means the wood has already begun to fail. This is especially common in Berkeley's eucalyptus trees, which can split along their grain with very little warning. If you can see daylight through a crack or the bark is pulling apart, treat it as urgent.
If any part of a tree is in contact with an overhead power line, call PG&E before you call a tree company. Do not touch the tree, the line, or anything the tree is touching. This situation is more common in Berkeley's older neighborhoods, where mature street trees have grown into utility corridors over decades.
Emergency tree service covers the full range of immediate hazard situations: fallen trees on structures, storm-damaged limbs hanging over driveways or cars, trunks that have split or cracked, and root failures that have left a tree leaning dangerously. We handle the coordination with PG&E when power lines are involved and work within Berkeley's tree permit requirements even under time pressure. For situations that go beyond emergency response - like full property clearing or routine care afterward - we also offer commercial tree service in Berkeley and can schedule follow-up visits for anything that doesn't need to happen right now.
Every emergency job ends with complete debris removal and cleanup. The crew chips or hauls away all wood and brush, rakes the area, and walks the site with you before leaving. If a stump remains after tree removal in Berkeley, we schedule that as a separate follow-up rather than rushing it during an already stressful situation.
Best for trees or large limbs that have already come down on a structure, vehicle, or access point.
Best for trees still standing but leaning, cracked, or compromised after a wind event or saturated soil.
Best for large broken branches hanging over roofs, driveways, or play areas that need to come down safely.
Best for situations where a tree or branch is in contact with or very near an overhead utility line.
Berkeley's fall Diablo wind events - dry, fast-moving winds from the east - are the single biggest driver of emergency tree calls in the area. These winds arrive with little warning and bring down trees that looked perfectly healthy, especially eucalyptus and Monterey pine in the hills. The 1991 Tunnel Fire, which destroyed more than 3,000 homes across Berkeley and Oakland, shaped how the city thinks about trees and fire risk. Today, trees in Berkeley's Wildland-Urban Interface zone are subject to additional scrutiny, and emergency removal there may involve coordination with fire prevention staff on top of the standard permit process. Homeowners in Richmond and El Cerrito face similar wind patterns and call us when fast response matters most.
Access in the Berkeley Hills is a genuine challenge. Many streets are narrow, steep, and winding - some barely wide enough for a standard truck, let alone a crane or large chipper. This affects both response time and cost. When you call, describe your street and driveway access honestly. A crew that knows the hills will plan accordingly. Berkeley's tree protection ordinance adds another layer: even a fallen or damaged tree may require a post-removal notification to the city's Planning Department if it was a protected species. We handle that paperwork so you don't have to figure it out during an already stressful situation.
When you call, we ask a few quick questions - what fell or is threatening to fall, whether it is touching your house or a power line, and whether anyone is in immediate danger. Mention your street name and whether you are in the hills or flatlands - this helps us send the right crew with the right equipment on the first trip.
Before any cutting begins, the crew leader walks the scene - where the tree could move, what is underneath it, and whether any secondary hazards exist. This takes 10-20 minutes and is what separates a safe job from a dangerous one. If power lines are involved, we confirm with PG&E before proceeding.
The crew works from the safest point inward, cutting the tree into sections in a controlled sequence. If the tree is on your roof or a structure, they work carefully to avoid adding weight or stress to the damaged area. Stay inside or well clear of the work zone - that is the safest choice for everyone.
Once the hazard is cleared, the crew chips or hauls away all debris and rakes the area. Before leaving, we walk the site with you to confirm everything was handled and note any follow-up work - like a remaining stump or a damaged fence section that needs attention.
Available 24/7 across Berkeley and the East Bay. No obligation to get a free assessment.
(341) 201-0734An ISA-certified arborist has passed a rigorous professional exam and understands how trees fail, not just how to cut them. For emergency work - where a secondary hazard like a co-dominant trunk can split unexpectedly - having that expertise on site matters.
Berkeley's tree ordinance is one of the stricter ones in the Bay Area, and it applies even in emergencies. We handle permit questions and post-removal notifications to the city's Planning Department so you are covered from the moment we arrive - not scrambling to fix paperwork after the fact.
Berkeley Hills streets are narrow and steep, and sending the wrong truck up a tight road wastes time you don't have. We carry smaller, hill-rated equipment and experienced operators who have worked these streets - so the job doesn't stall because a truck can't make the turn.
After an emergency, the last thing you want is a pile of wood chips sitting in your driveway for a week. Cleanup is part of every job, not an add-on - we haul everything away the same day and walk the site with you before we leave so you can see exactly what was done.
When a tree goes down in Berkeley, you need a crew that knows the city's rules, knows the hills, and shows up with the right equipment the first time. That is what we bring to every emergency call.
Ongoing and project-based tree care for apartment buildings, office parks, HOA properties, and other commercial sites in Berkeley.
Learn MoreComplete tree removal for dead, diseased, or structurally compromised trees - including permitting, rigging, and debris hauling.
Learn MoreAvailable 24/7 across Berkeley and the East Bay. Call now or submit a request and we will be in touch within one business day.