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Arborists warn about damaged trees in severe weather

Fallen tree.JPG
Posted at 9:00 PM, Apr 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-18 23:25:12-04

BELL COUNTY, TX — Wet and wild weather packed a punch across much of Central Texas.

The extreme conditions can force susceptible trees to fall. Arborists suggest homeowners take a hard look at the trees in their yard before weather events.

This warning comes after two young lives were cut short when a tree fell on a car in East Texas. An 8-year-old and 3-year-old were trapped in the back seat of the car.

“We have been pretty busy,” said Jose Jimenez, of Yosef Tree Service Landscaping.

The severe weather season has many people calling for their services.

Jimenez says trees may appear healthy, but with a closer look, there can be diseases or rot. He also reminds homeowners that not all trees are the same.

“Especially like hackberries, they look healthy but the root system is just kind of weak so hard wind can knock it over,” said Jimenez.

Root systems lock trees into the ground but saturated soil can be a big problem.

“Wind can uproot it because the foundation is already soft,” he said.

Removing a tree on your own can be dangerous work. He says it is something best left to a skilled and insured professional.

Public works crew are also busy before, during and after the storm.

“The city works with our emergency management coordinator to track the storms and how they might impact them,” said Kristina Ramirez, Killeen’s director of Environmental Services.

“We go in and clean out all of our inlets from large debris, all of creek crossing of roads. We go through and make sure we have all of our equipment ready to go in case of an emergency response,” she said.

Crews remain at the ready in the event of an urgent need for their services.

Taking these steps help mitigate problems in the long run, and can keep families safe when severe weather strikes