A Spokane tree job is ice, pine, and wires — not a furnace, and not “we have crews.”

Different SKU from any Spokane HVAC page. No “we have crews.” No storm-volume claim. No partner list. If a limb is on or near a power line, do not touch it — that is a utility and 911 problem first. A person reviews the request on this form.

Ice is a load. Needles hold it.

Inland Northwest ice storms put weight on every surface that can hold water. Ponderosa and other pines hold ice on needles the way a deciduous tree does not. A maple drops most of its sail in November. A pine does not. The failure is often a long limb over a roof, a split crotch, or a whole tree that was already leaning.

The International Society of Arboriculture’s storm guidance is blunt: heavy ice or snow can break branches; stay clear of damaged trees; an ISA Certified Arborist can assess cracks, hanging branches, and soil heaving — including on trees that look unhurt from the driveway. A hanging limb (“widow-maker”) is still a hazard after the sun comes out. Ice that has melted is not the same as a tree that has recovered.

If it is on a wire, it is not a yard job

Avista’s own storm notices treat trees on electric lines as a safety event, not a landscaping event. Fallen trees contacting lines have taken down both transmission and distribution in this region. Avista tells customers to treat every downed line as energized, stay away, not pull limbs off a sagging or downed line, and not drive over a line. If you see a downed line: call 911, then Avista at 800-227-9187.

A different, quieter rule matters on a calm day. Avista says the customer is responsible for keeping trees off the overhead service drop — the smaller wires from the pole to the house. They will disconnect that service so trimming can be done safely if you call about 48 hours ahead. That is not this form dispatching anyone. It is the utility’s published process. Do not put a ladder or a pole saw into that space yourself.

Street trees in the public right-of-way are often a City of Spokane Urban Forestry question, not a “cut it Saturday” question. Ask before you assume the tree in the parking strip is yours to remove.

Arborist vs. cutter — when the difference matters

A cutter is labor: drop it, buck it, haul it. That can be the right hire when the tree is already on the ground, clear of lines, and the only question is debris. An arborist is a diagnosis: can this tree be saved, what is the risk, and what cut will not create the next failure. ISA credentials can be verified at TreesAreGood.org. ANSI A300 is the pruning standard people who know trees will recognize. Topping and lion’s-tailing are not that standard.

Call toward an arborist (or a company that will put one on the assessment) when:

• The tree is still standing and you are deciding prune vs. remove.
• There is a split crotch, a new lean, soil heaving at the root flare, or a hanging limb over a roof or walk.
• It is a mature ponderosa or other large pine you would rather keep if it is structurally honest.
• The work is a planned structural prune, not a pile of already-down wood.

A cutter may be enough when the tree is down, nothing is in the wires, and you need the wood off the driveway. Even then, a person on a saw in a bind is a safety problem. This page will not pretend that is a casual Saturday.

Storm debris vs. a planned prune

After ice or wind, the useful order is: lines and life safety first, then hanging hazards, then the pile on the ground. A planned prune is a different conversation — clearance off a roof, training a young tree, or reducing sail before the next ice week. Mixing those two in one “emergency crew” pitch is how homeowners get a topping they did not need.

We will not invent a crew count, a response time, or a “storm season volume.” Anyone who knocks the morning after ice and wants cash on the driveway is a reason to slow down, not speed up. Ask for a credential you can verify and whether they will work near lines only after the utility has cleared them.

What to put in the request

ZIP (Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, and nearby towns are not the same drive), whether anything is on or near a line, whether the tree is down or still standing, species if you know it, and whether this is debris on the ground or a decision about a living tree. That is enough for a person to decide how to follow up. It is not a booking and not a dispatch.

Official sources

ISA / TreesAreGood: storm-related tree damage ISA: find / verify an arborist Avista: report an outage Avista: customer safety and service City of Spokane Urban Forestry