Portland Parks & Recreation’s Urban Forestry Staff Is Racing Across Town to Clear Toppled Trees

Firefighters aren't the only ones dealing with the aftermath of the unusually strong windstorm that swept across Oregon on Labor Day.

Portland Parks & Recreation's urban forestry staffers may not be battling flames from stoked fires, but they are cleaning up a tangled mess of toppled trees across the city.

Reports of tree-related emergencies began to pour in on Sunday, Sept. 7. Crews are currently addressing the most critical areas to ensure that routes are clear for first responders. Some of those sites include Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard and Capitol Highway and Northeast 28th Avenue and Couch Street, where downed trees are blocking thoroughfares.

Roads along the Columbia River near Portland International Airport are also clogged with debris.

Non-emergency tree work will be delayed until the most dangerous situations are addressed.

There are a dozen Portland Parks & Rec arborists who can respond to emergencies affecting the more than 1.2 million trees in the city's parks and natural areas as well as some 220,000 street trees.

Given those numbers, it's best not to bother them with calls about some small branches blocking your driveway. Only report fallen trees or large limbs at 503-823-TREE.