After a windstorm, it's tempting to grab a chainsaw and start clearing the yard. Some of that cleanup is perfectly reasonable, but trees that are bent over, hung up in other trees, or pinned under another limb are a different story. Wood under that kind of load is storing energy, and it releases that energy the instant a cut goes in.
A bent sapling or limb under tension can whip back hard enough to cause serious injury. A trunk pinned under compression can pinch a bar or split without warning, and a hung-up tree can drop in a direction no one planned. These are the situations behind many of the chainsaw injuries that follow storms in western Washington.
Our crews read tension and compression before any cut, release loads in a controlled order, and keep everyone clear of the swing and drop zones. If a downed tree is touching a wire, nobody on our crew cuts until the utility confirms it's safe, and you shouldn't either. Clearing small, loose branches yourself is fine, but anything bent, hung up, or pinned deserves a professional.
After the last big windstorm, what was the trickiest piece of cleanup you faced at your place? #StormCleanup #TreeSafety
A real Arbor Vet storm cleanup photo showing a tree or large limb bent under load or hung up in another tree, with crew in full PPE working from a safe position. Avoid images of anyone cutting near wires. Authentic job photos strongly outperform stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Bent Wood Is Loaded Wood" or "Storm Cleanup: Know When to Stop"