Sioux Falls storms come fast and hit hard. The May 12, 2022 derecho gusted to 78 mph three miles south-southwest of the city and put a tree on a house just south of town. The July 5 derecho that summer gusted to 80 mph at the airport, with winds over 58 mph for 31 minutes. Three EF-2 tornadoes crossed the south side on the night of September 10, 2019, with 80 to 100 mph straight-line winds around them, and up to 25,000 Xcel customers lost power. On July 25, 2026 the airport recorded 72 mph, and the southern metro, Tea and Harrisburg took the worst of it. Ice storms do the same damage more slowly. The April 2013 ice storm brought down limbs and whole trees across the city and took the City more than two months to clean up.
When you call, tell us whether the tree is on the house, whether anyone is hurt, and whether a power line is involved. If a tree touching an overhead line is arcing or sparking, the City says to call 911, and nobody should go near it. Otherwise we dispatch by priority: trees on occupied houses first, then blocked driveways and garages, then everything else. The first visit is about making it safe. We cut the weight off the roof, tarp what needs tarping or tell you who will, and secure anything still hanging. The full cleanup and stump grinding can follow in the daylight.
We document everything for your insurer: photos before, during and after, and an itemized invoice. Homeowners policies generally cover removing a tree that fell on a covered structure. See insurance and financing. The City's rule is worth knowing too. If a tree falls from public property onto your house, City Forestry removes it at no cost. If it falls from private property onto other private property, it's the owners' responsibility, and the City recommends hiring a City-licensed arborist.
What's included
Answered 24/7
Any hour, any day, including the night of the storm.
Dispatched by priority
Occupied houses first, then blocked access, then the rest.
Weight off the roof
Limbs and trunks cut and lifted off the structure, with a crane when the load is too big to rig.
Power lines respected
Downed and energized lines left to the utility; service drops coordinated with Xcel.
Insurance-ready paperwork
Dated photos and an itemized invoice for your adjuster.
Full cleanup after
Chipping, hauling, stump grinding and raking once it's safe.
Emergency tree service cost in Sioux Falls, SD
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency call-out, tree on a structure | $1,500 – $5,000+ | Size, access and crane time decide it |
| After-hours response | Standard rate × 1.5 | Nights, weekends and storm nights |
| Limb off a roof or car | $400 – $1,500 | Cut, lowered and hauled |
| Tree across a driveway | $300 – $1,200 | Cut and cleared, haul-off extra if wanted |
| Crane on a storm call | $2,500 – $7,500 | When the load can't be rigged safely |
| Temporary roof tarp | $250 – $600 | Until the roofer arrives |
These are 2026 Sioux Falls ranges to help you budget. Your written price is itemized (climb or bucket work, rigging, chipping and haul-off, stump grinding, crane time) and good for 30 days.
Recent work
Questions we get about emergency tree service
A tree is on my house. What do I do first?
Get everyone out of the rooms under it, stay away from any wires, and call. If a line is down or sparking, call 911 first. Then call your insurer. We'll handle the tree and the paperwork.
Will insurance pay for it?
Usually, if the tree damaged a covered structure such as your house, garage or fence. Removing a tree that fell in the yard without hitting anything often isn't covered. We give you photos and an itemized invoice for the claim.
The tree came from the boulevard. Who pays?
If it fell from public property, City Forestry removes it and the stump at no cost, even when it lands on private property. Report it through the City app, online or the police non-emergency line at 605-367-7000.
Do you charge more at night?
After-hours and storm-night work is billed at a higher rate, and we tell you the rate on the phone before we roll.
Can you come today?
For a tree on an occupied house, yes, we dispatch the same day or night. After a citywide storm, the queue is by priority, and we tell you honestly where you are in it.
Who takes the brush after a storm?
We do, for any tree we cut. For your own small limbs, the City sometimes opens free drop sites after big storms, and the landfill takes yard debris year-round.