Homeowners With Downed Trees Work To Clear Mess

DENVER (CBS4)- Thousands of people living along the Front Range have a big mess to clean up. Downed trees and broken branches litter the yards and streets from Northern Colorado to south of the Denver metro area.

Experts advise homeowners to be wary of contractors knocking on doors to help with trees. Make sure they're licensed and insured before hiring.

"We planted this when we moved here in 1994 and it's been through many storms like this," said one Denver resident when talking about a tree in his yard.

Those in the tree trimming business said this storm didn't do as much damage as it could have because the trees were dry, rather than wet and heavy, when the storm hit.

"In this situation, I wouldn't start chopping this tree up. I'd take it up to this point," said Rushton Tree Service tree trimmer Larry Rushton.

PHOTO GALLERY: OCTOBER 2011 SNOWSTORM

He said take it one small branch at a time.

"If I was a homeowner and I wanted to remove this tree and I had a chain saw, I would start cutting at the large end first and I'd cut it in a foot or two foot sections," said Rushton.

The City of Denver already has crews working on large branches that are blocking traffic. Trees and branches on private property are the homeowners' responsibility. Denver Forestry will only clear those branches blocking public streets.

Getting rid of branches can be tricky. Waste services will pick up branches in the Denver city limits if they are less than four feet long, four inches in diameter and forty pounds.

Those who lost a tree in the storm, the City & County of Denver has a federal grant program which means the city will come to your home and plant a tree in your yard free of charge, to replace the one you lost.