Articles
Storm Salvage: Clearing Damage and Milling Windblown Trees
A couple of weeks ago, we were in the bull’s eye of a storm packing over 70 mph (110 kph) winds. At 8:30 in the morning, the sky had gone from dawn to an ominous silent darkness. The shriek of a storm siren, five miles away sounded like it could have been in our back yard. The wind and blinding rain slammed into our home moments later. The oak beams of the house Becky and I built over forty years ago didn’t budge. The soil, already saturated from a week of rain, was unable to anchor trees that fell across roads and power lines, cutting off electricity and access to our entire area. After what seemed like an hour—although it couldn’t have been more than ten minutes—the wind stopped as suddenly as it started, and a little sunlight made it through the thinning clouds.
We lost a few trees with no real damage. Some of our neighbors weren’t as fortunate, and there was a lot of cleanup work to be done with downed power lines, trees across the road, and damage to vehicles and structures.
A couple of days later, a van full of enthusiastic volunteers showed up at our gate. The driver got out, surveyed our yard. “Looks like you got a lot of damage from that storm. Don’t worry, we have a crew that can help you with the clean-up,” he assured me. I explained to him that our yard in its normal state of disorder. If anything, the wind had straightened up our mailbox a bit. I hadn’t gotten around to mowing the yard yet this spring, and the old Ford tractor next to the driveway hadn’t run for so long that Becky was growing tomatoes in the front-end loader. Those branches on the roof were (and still are) trees growing in the gutter.
27 juin 2025
Wind-thrown trees usually still have roots in the ground that act like powerful springs, pulling the root ball back into the ground in the blink of an eye as soon as the stump is cut. Damaged standing trees demand special attention. In addition to broken limbs, there is a good chance of other storm debris caught in the branches. I saw a wheel chair (unoccupied) about 30 feet up on one while working as a volunteer after the 2011 Joplin, MO tornado.
The 2011 Joplin, MO tornado was an extreme event requiring thousands of hours of volunteer labor. Skilled chain saw operators were in high demand.
Watch out for people around you. Some of ‘em are clearly lacking in common sense. Put a chain saw in their hands, and you have a recipe for disaster. While working in Joplin, a tree I was cleaning up nearly rolled on top of me. Another volunteer, clad in shorts and sandals and brandishing a brand new chain saw (probably for the first time), had decided to work on the same tree and cut through a branch that was holding it off the ground. I just moved on to another tree, leaving him with his chain saw safely pinched in the cut. I later learned that just the day before, a volunteer was rushed to the hospital for stitches after a chain saw accident.
The saturated soil just couldn’t hold this sycamore tree. Salvaging the lumber will be a challenge—watch for a future video documenting the process.
Here are some tips for anyone volunteering to work on a storm clean-up crew:
- Bring everything you will possibly need, including safety gear, tools, fuel, oil, files, wedges, and small axe.
- Make sure your tetanus vaccination is up to date.
- If possible bring an extra bar and chain. When (not “if”) you get the bar pinched in a cut, you can take the saw off of the bar, put on the replacement, and cut your way out.
- Pair up with a volunteer you can trust to help carry your gear, clear brush, watch for hazards, and keep an eye on your equipment
- Don’t be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task at hand—just focus on one job at a time.
- Take a break when you need one. Sharpening the chain (whether it needs it or not) is a good way to relax and regroup while still managing to look busy.
- If you see someone operating in an unsafe way, you are better off just staying clear.
- Try not to work on the same tree as another chain saw operator, but establish clear communication with anyone clearing brush, especially before making a cut that could cause the tree to drop or roll.
- Before making a cut that would allow a root ball to fall back into the hole, station someone within your line of sight to keep people away. Confirm that the area is clear before making the final cut.
- Never work alone.
- Be friendly, but professional. Help out a fellow volunteer, if you can do so safely. If he can’t figure out how to disengage the chain brake, suggest that he take back to the dealer for repairs.
- Know your limitations. This goes for equipment, physical ability, and skill. If someone else can do the job with less risk, step aside!
Another victim of the recent wind storm, this hackberry tree might also have a usable log or two in it. Meanwhile it is a playground for a neighbor’s goat.
No doubt many loggers and sawyers will participate alongside “weekend warriors” with more good intentions than common sense while dealing with the challenges and stress of cutting windblown trees. Be careful, stay focused, and keep an eye on that fellow wearing sandals and a floppy hat wielding a new chain saw like it’s a light sabre!
Best,
Dave Boyt
Pottershop Hollow Tree Farm & Portable Sawmill