Urgent help when wind, wet snow or flooding brings a tree down on a Denville house, car, driveway or road.
Denville gets the full menu of northern New Jersey weather: nor'easters, summer thunderstorms, heavy wet snow, ice and the remnants of tropical storms. What makes storms here harder on trees is the water. When the Rockaway River and Den Brook run high, as they did during Irene and again in December 2023 and January 2024, soil along the banks and in low yards stays saturated, and a strong wind can push over a tree whose roots have lost their grip. Heavy wet snow is the other common culprit, loading full crowns in early or late season storms when leaves are still on the trees and snapping limbs that would normally hold.
If a tree comes down on your house, car or driveway, safety comes first. Keep everyone back and assume any wire touching the tree is live. JCP&L serves Denville, so report downed lines to the utility, and call 911 in an emergency. Once wires are not involved, a tree crew can lift the weight off the structure, often with a crane or careful rigging, clear the debris and make the rest of the tree safe. Some contractors can tarp a damaged roof until a roofer arrives. Do not drive over or under a tree tangled in lines, even if it looks stable.
After a widespread storm, every crew in Morris County gets busy and emergency rates are usually higher than scheduled work. Narrow lake roads blocked by fallen trees can also slow access. Photograph the damage before anything is moved, call your insurer, and ask for an itemized invoice. Be careful with anyone knocking on doors after a storm who wants full payment up front and cannot show a New Jersey tree care license. Keep a record of who did the work and what they charged, since your insurer may ask for it. If a tree is resting on the house but nothing is moving, it is usually wiser to wait for a properly equipped crew than to try cutting it yourself.
Stay away from it and treat the wire as live. Report it to JCP&L, and call 911 if anyone is in danger. A tree crew can only work once the utility has made the line safe.
It depends on who owns the road and the tree. Some roads are township maintained and some areas have association responsibilities, so contact the township or your association. A tree on your own property is usually yours to handle.
Policies vary, and flood and wind damage are often treated differently. Take photos, keep invoices, and ask your insurer how they handle a tree that fell on a covered structure.
The March 6-7, 2018 snowstorm brought down trees, limbs and wires and caused numerous power outages; Denville spent $37,467 on snow removal for it.
morriscountynj.govAn August 3, 2018 severe thunderstorm with a funnel cloud left the township with downed trees and power loss.
morriscountynj.govThe county hazard mitigation plan estimates Denville's severe weather losses at about $56,000 a year on average and $1.2 million for a 100 year event.
morriscountynj.govRemoval of dead, leaning or unwanted trees on Denville lots, from crowded lakefront yards to wooded hillside properties.
Pruning that clears Denville roofs, driveways and service wires and keeps big lake and hillside trees sound.
Grinding stumps below grade on Denville lawns, slopes and lake lots so the spot can be reseeded or replanted.
Assessments, cabling and bracing for valuable old Denville trees near homes, lakes and driveways.