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Monsoon storm cleanup: what to do after the storm

⚠ Safety first

  • Treat every downed power line as live. Don't touch it, move it, or drive over it, and keep people and pets away. Call 911, then report it to your electric utility (APS, SRP, TEP or your local co-op).
  • Never prune or cut a tree that touches or hangs over a power line. The utility handles lines; tree work within about 10 feet of a line is for a qualified line-clearance arborist.
  • A tree on your house? Get everyone out of that part of the house, then call your insurance company and a licensed tree contractor.

Arizona's monsoon officially runs June 15 to September 30. Its microbursts can snap palo verdes, uproot mesquites and drop palm fronds across a whole street in minutes. Here's what to do in the first hours and days after a storm.

The first 24 hours

  1. Stay safe. Look up before you walk under a damaged tree. Cracked limbs that are still hanging can drop without warning.
  2. Take photos of the damage from several angles before anything is moved. Your insurer will want them.
  3. Report street and sidewalk trees to your city. A tree blocking a public road is the city's job. In Tucson, report storm damage through 311; Pima County Emergency Management is at 520-724-9300. In the Valley, use your city's non-emergency or 311 line or app.
  4. Don't rush to sign. After big storms, out-of-town "storm chasers" go door to door. Get a written quote and check the contractor's ROC license before you pay anything.

Save it or remove it?

Many desert trees fail because they're surface-rooted and carry a dense canopy that acts like a sail in high wind and heavy rain.

  • Uprooted fast-growers such as palo verde and mesquite are usually better replaced than stood back up, according to Valley nursery owner Brian Whitfill.
  • Older or special trees, such as a mature ironwood, may be worth straightening and re-staking. Let a certified arborist decide.
  • Split trunks, or a lost leader on a tree with two main trunks, usually mean the tree is weak and may need to come out.
  • Palms usually survive losing fronds. A palm with a bent or damaged crown, or one leaning over a roof, needs a professional look.

Who to hire

  • Tree removal, re-staking and repair work that's $1,000 or more generally needs an ROC-licensed contractor in Arizona. See the licensing guide →
  • Debris pickup and small cleanups can often be handled by a yard maintenance crew.
  • Anything near power lines: call the utility first.

Find licensed tree & palm pros by city

Storm-proof your trees before next monsoon

  • Prune in spring, before the storms. May is a good time to thin heavy canopies so wind can pass through.
  • Avoid "lion-tailing." Stripping the inner branches and leaving foliage only at the tips pushes weight to the ends of limbs, so they snap more easily.
  • Don't over-thin. Remove no more than about 20% of the canopy, and don't lift the crown into an umbrella shape that wind can catch.
  • Water deep, not often. Frequent shallow watering grows shallow roots and soft wood. Move drip emitters out toward the edge of the canopy as the tree grows, and don't water before heavy rain is forecast. Watering guide →
  • Loosen or remove old stakes. Ties left on too long can girdle the trunk and create a weak spot, and staking won't stop a heavy tree from breaking.
  • Watch for warning signs: cracks where branches meet, two competing main trunks, decay, or dying wood.

Sources

Last checked Nov 6, 2026. This is general information, not professional advice. For anything near power lines or a tree that threatens your home, call the utility or a certified arborist.