Start with two questions: is anyone hurt, and is a power line involved? If either is yes, call 911 first. If not, the next call depends on where the tree landed: your own yard, a street or sidewalk, your car, your house, or a neighbor’s fence. Each situation has a different first call, and getting the order right saves you from paying for something the city, a utility, or an insurer should be covering.
This guide walks through each scenario so you know who to dial before you dial anyone, plus what to photograph before the tree gets moved.
Start Here: Check for Power Lines and Injuries
Before anything else, look at where the tree fell relative to overhead lines. If a line is down, sagging, or the tree is resting on one, treat it as live even if the power looks off. Idaho Power’s downed power line safety guidance says to stay at least 100 feet back, never touch the line or use anything to move it, and call Idaho Power at 208-388-2323 (or toll-free at 1-800-488-6151) or 911. Do not send anyone, including a tree crew, near a downed line until the utility clears it. If someone is trapped, injured, or a line is arcing or on fire, 911 comes first, full stop. Tree near power lines: what to do and who to call in Boise goes into more detail if the tree itself, not just a loose line, is tangled in the wires.
Once the scene is safe, the rest of this comes down to location.
Quick Reference: Who to Call by Situation
| Where the tree landed | Call first |
|---|---|
| Your own yard, no structure hit | A tree service for removal or cleanup |
| A public street or sidewalk | City of Boise Community Forestry (in city limits) or ACHD (county roads) |
| Touching or near a power line | Idaho Power, then 911 if anyone is hurt |
| Your car | Your auto insurer, then a tree service to lift the tree off |
| Your house | 911 if anyone is trapped or you smell gas, then your homeowners insurer |
| A neighbor’s tree, on your property | Your own homeowners insurer, to open a claim |
A Tree Fell in Your Own Yard
If the tree missed your house, car, and fence and just landed on grass or a garden bed, there is no emergency call to make. This is a cleanup and removal job. A whole tree on the ground is more work than it looks: the crew still has to cut it into sections, deal with the stump if you want it gone, and haul everything off your property. A dead or storm-snapped tree can also cost more to remove than a healthy one that was cut down cleanly, since broken wood is less predictable to cut.
For a rough sense of cost before you call, tree removal for something already down typically runs in the same range as a standing tree of similar size, though a downed tree can sometimes be cheaper to cut apart since it is already on the ground. Get a real number from the tree removal cost calculator rather than guessing, since access, wood condition, and what is underneath the tree all move the price.
If you are on the fence about whether to call anyone at all, what a tree removal quote should include is worth a read before you get three bids for a job that might only need a chainsaw and an afternoon.
Ready to get it cleared? Call (208) 247-9766 for a free on-site estimate, or use the contact form if the tree is not blocking anything urgent.
A Tree Fell on a Public Road or Sidewalk
This one is not yours to remove, and you should not try. Who you call depends on whose road it is:
- Inside Boise city limits, Boise Community Forestry handles trees and branches down on streets and sidewalks around the clock. During business hours, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., call (208) 608-7700; outside business hours, on weekends, and on holidays call (208) 489-6638.
- On an Ada County Highway District road, which covers most county roads outside the city core, ACHD asks residents to report downed trees as soon as possible through the Ada County non-emergency dispatch line at (208) 377-6790, per ACHD’s own alert on reporting downed trees.
- If the tree is blocking a lane and creating an immediate hazard to traffic, especially at night or on a busy road, call 911 so an officer can direct traffic until it is cleared.
Do not attempt to drag a tree off a road yourself, especially at night or near a blind curve. Stand well clear, and if you can safely do so, put your hazards on and warn oncoming traffic while you wait for the right crew.
A Tree Fell on Your Car
Take photos of the car and the tree from several angles before anyone touches either one, including the license plate and how the tree is resting on the vehicle. Then call your auto insurer to ask what your specific policy covers and what they need from you before the car is moved, since coverage terms vary. Hold off on calling a tree service until you have talked to your insurer, unless the car is blocking a driveway, a road, or someone’s exit from a garage.
Once you have the photos and have talked to your insurer, a tree service can section and lift the tree off the vehicle safely, which is not a job to do with a rope and a truck. Fallen tree removal in Boise covers how that job typically goes and what affects the price.
A Tree Fell on Your House
If anyone is trapped inside, you smell gas, or you see sparking wires, call 911 immediately. Once everyone is safely out and the scene is confirmed clear, your next call is your homeowners insurer, not a contractor, since most policies want photos of the damage and a claim opened before repairs start. Tree fell on your house: insurance and next steps in Idaho walks through that process in more detail.
If the tree has opened a hole in the roof or wall, cover it with a tarp only if you can do so safely from the ground or an already-secured area; do not climb onto storm-damaged roof framing. A tree service can handle emergency limb and tree removal off a structure, and typically that work runs $150-$850 for a limb off a structure or $1,500-$4,000+ for a full tree, depending on size and how it is resting on the house. The exact number comes down to size, access, and how the tree is lying against the structure.
If the tree is still on the house or blocking an exit, that is an active hazard, not a wait-and-see situation. The emergency tree service page covers what to expect when a crew comes out for something like this.
A Neighbor’s Tree Fell on Your Property, or Yours Fell on Theirs
Whose tree it was is usually not the first question your insurer asks, and it often is not the thing that decides who pays. Start by calling your own insurer to open a claim on your own property, and let your neighbor do the same on theirs. There are exceptions, particularly around negligence, and the details matter more than most people expect. Tree fell on my fence: who pays? walks through how that plays out for fence damage specifically, which is the most common version of this situation in the Treasure Valley.
Practically, the first calls are the same either way: your own insurer to open a claim, and a tree service to get the tree off whatever it landed on. Coordinate with your neighbor on which insurer is handling removal so you are not both paying for the same job. Photograph the tree, the break point, and the damage on both sides of the property line before anything gets cut or dragged.
Document the Damage Before Anything Gets Moved
Whatever the situation, take photos and a short video walk-around before the tree is cut up or hauled off. Get the whole tree, the break or root ball, the damage it caused, and anything relevant nearby like a downed fence line or a crushed planter. Insurers and, if it comes to it, a neighbor’s insurer will ask for this, and it is much harder to reconstruct after the wood is gone. If wind was involved, our windstorm tree damage checklist has a fuller list of what to check across the whole property, not just the one tree that came down.
Ready to call? Reach us at (208) 247-9766 any time, day or night. We offer 24/7 emergency response with same-day help if the tree is an active hazard, and free on-site estimates if it can wait. Not sure which one you need, or want to see how the process works first? Start with tree removal in Boise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to remove a tree that already fell in Boise?
Permit rules depend on whether the tree is on public or private property and, for street trees, whether it is one the city manages. Rather than guessing, Boise tree permits: when you need one covers the actual rules, since this is not a case where “it already fell” automatically means no permit applies.
Who pays if my neighbor’s tree falls on my property?
Whose tree it was is not always the deciding factor, and negligence, such as ignoring a tree that was visibly dead or leaning for months, can change who is on the hook. Start by opening a claim with your own insurer and let them sort out the details with your neighbor’s insurer if needed.
The tree isn’t fully down, it’s just leaning badly. Who do I call?
Treat a badly leaning tree the same as a fallen one for safety purposes: keep people and pets away from the drop zone and call a tree service the same day if it threatens a structure, car, or walkway. Do not wait for it to finish falling on its own schedule.
Will a tree service move a tree that’s on my car or blocking my driveway?
Yes, once you have your insurer’s go-ahead if a vehicle is involved, a tree service can section and remove the tree safely. If the blockage is preventing someone from getting out of the driveway in an emergency, say so when you call so it can be prioritized.
How fast can someone actually come out for a fallen tree?
We offer 24/7 emergency response, including nights and weekends, and same-day service on active hazards. For a tree that is down but not urgent, mention that when you call and we will get an on-site estimate scheduled.
Is the stump included when a fallen tree gets removed?
Not automatically. Grinding the stump after a removal is usually a separate line item, though it often costs less when done at the same time as the removal instead of as a separate visit later. Ask for it to be included in your estimate if you want the stump gone too.