Fallen pine tree lying across a parked car

Memphis, TN · emergencies

Emergency Tree Removal in Memphis, TN

If a tree in Memphis falls on a power line, call MLGW and 911 and stay away; MLGW's contract crews handle trees endangering lines. A tree from your yard on your house is yours to have removed. Memphis emergencies come from summer derechos, like the 2003 "Hurricane Elvis," and ice storms, like February 2023's, often involving aging Midtown oaks.

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When you need emergency tree removal in Memphis

A tree on the house, car, driveway or a line, or one about to fall.

A tree or large limb has fallen onto a house, garage, vehicle or fence.
A tree is resting on or tangled in power, cable or phone lines.
A fallen tree blocks your only driveway, a door, or emergency access.
A large broken limb is hanging in the canopy over a place people walk (a "hanger").
A storm has left a tree cracked at the base or visibly lifting its roots.

Often needed with: Storm Damage Tree Removal services, Tree Removal services, Large Tree Removal services, Tree Risk Assessment services.

Call and we'll connect you with a tree-service provider for emergency tree removal in Memphis.

Call about a tree emergency

Tree emergency in Memphis? Call first

Call now if you have any of these in Memphis:

A tree on the house, garage or car
A fallen tree blocking the driveway or road
A tree or limb touching a power line
A tree leaning more than it did yesterday, with soil lifting
Large broken limbs hanging over people or the roof
A storm-damaged tree that could still fall

Lines first: if a tree touches a power line, stay at least 35 feet away and call the electric utility or 911 before anyone works on it.

Call about a tree emergency Emergency Tree Removal in Memphis

What emergency tree removal in Memphis includes

Assessment: What the tree could hit, its condition, and access.
Job planning: Whether it can be felled or must come down in sections.
Sectional removal and rigging: Limbs and trunk lowered on ropes near buildings.
Crane work when needed: For big or decayed trees over structures.
Brush and debris cleanup: Chipping branches and raking the work area.
Wood hauling or leaving rounds: Agree in advance which you want.
Stump options: Grinding is usually a separate line item.
Property protection: Mats, plywood or careful drops to protect lawns and drives.

What to confirm in a emergency tree removal quote in Memphis

Quotes differ mostly in what they include. Ask each provider to put these in writing so you can compare like for like:

Getting the tree off the structure, and whether that's billed separately from full removal
Tarping or temporary protection, or whether that's a roofer's job
Hauling the wood and debris, or cutting it and leaving it
After-hours or same-day rates
Stump grinding, usually scheduled later
Paperwork and photos for your insurance claim

Before you call about emergency tree removal in Memphis

These answers let a provider in Memphis tell you on the first call what the job involves and roughly how it'll be done.

Is anyone hurt or trapped?: If so, call 911 first
Is a power line involved?: Stay 35 feet away; the utility comes first
What the tree is on: Roof, car, garage, driveway, road
Is it still moving?: Shifting, creaking, soil lifting at the base
Is access blocked?: Driveway, doors, the only road out
Rough size: Whole tree or one big limb?
Photos: Wide shots for the crew and your insurer, from a safe spot

Safety and permission checks

Power lines: stay at least 10 feet from overhead lines (OSHA's minimum distance for unqualified workers) and call the utility; only line-clearance-qualified tree workers cut closer.
Underground lines: call 811 a few days before stump grinding or digging so buried utilities are marked for free.
Permits: ask the city or county before removing or heavily pruning a large tree; protected-tree sizes and street-tree rules vary by place.
Who is responsible: a tree on your lot is usually yours, street (right-of-way) trees are usually the city's, and trees on lines are the utility's to clear.
Doing it yourself: picking up small fallen limbs is a homeowner job; chainsaw work off a ladder, near lines or on anything that could hit a building is not.

Have your answers ready? Call and we'll connect you with a provider serving your area.

Call for tree service

How getting emergency tree removal in Memphis works

1
Tell us what's happening
Call and describe the tree, where it is and how urgent it is.
2
Get connected
Your call goes to an independent tree-service provider serving your area.
3
The tree is assessed
The provider looks at the tree, what's around it, and access for equipment.
4
Scope and price are discussed
You get the plan and price directly from the provider, before any work.
5
You decide
There's no obligation; you choose whether and when to go ahead.

TreeRemovalServices.net is a referral service and doesn't perform tree work. How it works

Local conditions

Local emergency tree removal considerations in Memphis

What's specific to this work in Memphis: local storms, trees, access, rules and costs.

Memphis at a glance

Lines: MLGW and 911
Storms: Derechos (July 2003), ice (February 2023), spring tornadoes
Common failures: Aging water and willow oaks, pecans, magnolias in ice
Right-of-way: City of Memphis; replacement required

Last updated October 3, 2026

Memphis emergencies by storm type

Worker in a helmet clearing a large fallen tree with a chainsaw behind warning tape — A worker clearing a fallen tree behind warning tape.

Derecho (July 2003)

Typical emergency: Large trees uprooted across Midtown onto houses

Ice storm (February 2023)

Typical emergency: Limbs broken onto lines; widespread outages

Spring storms and tornadoes

Typical emergency: Limbs and trees down; twisted survivors

What each storm does
Storm	Typical emergency
Derecho (July 2003)	Large trees uprooted across Midtown onto houses
Ice storm (February 2023)	Limbs broken onto lines; widespread outages
Spring storms and tornadoes	Limbs and trees down; twisted survivors

Ice storms and outages

February 2023's ice storm broke limbs onto lines across Memphis and left hundreds of thousands without power. Ice emergencies unfold over days: limbs keep breaking as ice builds, roads may be impassable, and MLGW crews work through long queues. Stay out from under loaded trees and call only about trees on houses or lines until the ice melts.

After the emergency, have the company or an arborist walk the rest of the lot; one failed tree often means others nearby are weak too.

MLGW and trees near lines

MLGW's contract crews trim trees that endanger power lines or block streetlights, and may remove a tree whose trunk is within about 10 to 15 feet of a pole line if it endangers the line. In an emergency, report any tree on a line to MLGW; no private crew can start until it's safe.

Memphis emergency safety: do and don't

Do this now

Get people and pets out of rooms under or near the tree.
Shut off gas at the meter if you smell gas, and leave the house.
Photograph the scene from a safe distance before anything is moved.
Call your insurer early. Many policies want to know before major work.

Never do this

Never go near or touch a tree that's touching a wire. Treat every line as live.
Don't try to cut a tree off a roof yourself. The weight can shift without warning.
Don't stand under hanging or cracked limbs to look at the damage.
Don't let anyone pressure you into signing a contract or assigning insurance benefits at the door.

On-site: clearing a tree from a Memphis house

1
Make it safe
Utilities de-energize lines. The crew sets a work zone and checks the structure for stability before climbing or rigging.
2
Stabilize the tree
Ropes, a crane, or a loader take the weight so that cutting doesn't cause it to shift or roll.
3
Remove in sections
Limbs and trunk pieces come off top-down and are lowered or lifted clear of the damaged area.
4
Secure and document
The roof is tarped or openings covered (often by a separate contractor), and you get photos and an itemized invoice for your insurer.

Aging Midtown oaks

Large water oaks and willow oaks planted decades ago in Midtown are reaching the age where decay and limb failure increase. Southern magnolias hold ice on their evergreen leaves, and branches bend and break. After an emergency, have the other big trees on the lot looked at before the next storm.

After a Memphis emergency

Storm Damage Tree Removal
For the rest of the cleanup.
Hazardous Tree Removal
For decaying oaks still standing.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
For broken limbs on trees you're keeping.

Preparing Memphis trees for storm season

Most Memphis emergencies involve trees that were already weakened: big oaks with decay, pecans with heavy limbs, Bradford pears and silver maples with weak forks. Before summer storm season and before winter ice, have the largest trees near the house checked, remove deadwood and reduce heavy limbs over the roof.

Memphis emergency tree questions

Who do I call in Memphis if a tree is on a power line?

MLGW, and 911 for sparks or fire. Stay well away.

Will MLGW remove a tree near my power line?

MLGW's contract crews trim trees that endanger lines and may remove a tree whose trunk is within about 10 to 15 feet of a pole line if it endangers the line.

Can a tree be removed from my Memphis house tonight?

Often, for trees on occupied houses. After regional storms, crews triage by risk.

Why do big Midtown oaks fail in storms?

Many water and willow oaks are old enough that decay and limb failure are increasing.

Why do magnolias break in Memphis ice storms?

Their evergreen leaves hold ice, adding weight that bends and breaks branches.

Does removing a right-of-way tree in Memphis require replacement?

City code requires replacement of right-of-way trees, including those removed by utilities.

How much does emergency tree removal cost in Memphis?

It depends on size, what the tree is on and after-hours timing. See the emergency tree removal cost factors.

Who does emergency tree removal near me in Memphis?

Insured local tree services with storm equipment. You can call us to reach an independent provider.

More tree services in Memphis

Tell us what's happening and we'll connect you with a tree-service provider serving your area.

Call about a tree emergency

Tree service areas near Memphis

Sources for the local facts on this page

MLGW: Tree trimming (checked 2026-10-03)
MLGW: Tree trimming FAQ (checked 2026-10-03)
Shelby County: Tree ordinance document (checked 2026-10-03)