Local officials raise awareness for dead trees and branches

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — After the severe weather earlier in the summer, local officials are speaking out about trees in the area.

With consecutive years of severe storms in the area, there is a close eye being kept on dead trees or hanging branches that could cause damage to power lines and property. Duke Energy district manager Rick Burger says the public can help by alerting the proper agencies before these trees fall.

“There’s some danger spots hanging out there, and I know the city and county are doing good jobs too of reaching up there and getting what they can,” Burger said. “But, I would encourage people, like you do with Duke Energy, let them know too if you have an unsafe condition where you see something just hanging there. Let them know too.”

Some of these trees can be found in local parks. Terre Haute Parks and Recreation superintendent Eddie Bird says that it is important for them to eliminate these risks as well.

“What we go back and look at is what we call hangers, tree limbs that are broken off but are still hanging in the trees,” Bird said. “What we try to do is we’ll go around and find those. If they are hazardous, we will remove them if they might fall on a building or fall on a car or a pedestrian in the park.”

There is no clear answer as to who is responsible for these dead trees. If you report a tree, you can likely get the answer to that question before it falls.

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