LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A tree removal company in Las Vegas estimates visiting about 100 homes and businesses in a 72-hour period for emergency services after strong winds knock over trees and cause damage around the valley.
“We started today around two in the morning,” Jay Hernandez, CEO of Arellano Tree Services, said. “We’ve been at it just tackling trees, commercial property trees. We had a tree fall over at a Bank of America. Got to get it out the way so customers could go in today.”
Hernandez said crews have been working non-stop.
“We started getting them (phone calls) Saturday night,” Hernandez said. “We’ve been working around the clock, and thankfully, we have a 24-hour support team that’s just answering calls in and out 24/7.”
Hernandez said he can not remember a weekend with as much tree damage from heavy winds. Harry Reid International Airport recorded wind gusts reaching 68 mph. It’s the strongest March wind gust since March 27, 1985.
The number of calls for emergency removal surprised Hernandez, who is also trying to work with homeowners around the unexpected costs.
READ MORE NEWS 3 |Strong wind storm gusts set new Las Vegas record
“It’s such a tragic feeling because we’ve had situations where homeowners can’t afford things, and we’re just trying to work with everyone’s budget,” Hernandez said.
A pine tree about 35 feet tall fell in the front yard of a southeast valley home. It did not damage the house, but the fall surprised the homeowner, who did not hear the wind uprooting it around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
“It was blowing like anything else but not moving a lot, not moving more than you would expect a tree to move in the wind,” Marc Liechty said. “One minute, it was up, and then I came back and looked, and it was down.”
The wind also knocked down a portion of a wooden fence in Liechty’s backyard.
“My house was creaking,” Liechty said. “My furniture, even though I had it set to the side, was blowing everywhere. I mean, this is a good 35-foot-tall tree. This thing must have been here decades, and it blew down. So, there must have been something about that storm that was a little more than normal.”
Liechty said he and his wife are checking with their insurance if tree removal is part of their coverage.
news3lv.com
https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-tree-removal-company-responds-to-late-night-calls-after-record-setting-winds
