Fallen Trees and Branches in San Diego

• Wires. SDG&E's power outage safety page says: if power lines are down, don't touch them; report any downed lines to 911 and call SDG&E immediately at 1-800-411-7343. Its storm safety page repeats the advice to stay away from downed lines after a storm. If a wire falls on your car, SDG&E's downed power line page explains when to stay inside the vehicle.
• A road blocked or someone hurt. Call 911, whoever owns the tree. The Get It Done Tree Maintenance form itself says: "For emergencies, call 911."
• Urgent, but not life-threatening. The City's Get It Done page lists 619-527-7500 for urgent street-related issues; it is the Street Division's number.
• Do not cut near wires. SDG&E's tree safety FAQ says pruning around its power lines must be done by a line-clearance-qualified arborist, and that the California Penal Code makes it illegal for unauthorized people to work within six feet of high-voltage conductors.

Our downed wires and utility poles guide covers how to tell power lines from phone and cable lines, and our power outages guide covers outages that follow a storm.

A quick summary. Details and sources follow below.

The answer decides who clears the tree and who may be responsible for damage, so it is worth working out early.

• City street trees grow in the public right-of-way. The Municipal Code's street planting rules (section 62.0601) define "street" to include any public street, alley or parkway, and the City's Get It Done FAQ describes the parkway as the strip between the sidewalk and the curb. The City's street tree maintenance page says its Urban Forestry team investigates reported issues with street and park trees.
• Private trees are the owner's. The City's Get It Done FAQ says property owners are responsible for maintaining private trees and vegetation so that they do not encroach on the street and sidewalk, and Municipal Code section 62.0611 requires owners of every lot with trees to trim their branches to City standards.
• Not sure? Property lines do not always follow the sidewalk. If you cannot tell, report it on the Tree Maintenance form and describe what you see; the City says its Urban Forestry team investigates reported street tree issues. Outside city limits, the County of San Diego's tree trimming page asks residents to call 858-694-3850 to find out whether a tree is their responsibility.

Our street trees guide covers routine trimming, removal requests, roots lifting the sidewalk and permits.

The City's street tree maintenance page lists "Hazards to the Right-of-Way" among the issues to report, and gives fallen branches and a fallen tree as its examples. Report it on the Get It Done Tree Maintenance form or the Get It Done San Diego app. The City's guide to Get It Done reports says the form is for "an issue with a tree maintained by the City," with these examples:

• Branch/Tree Down
• Visibility of Traffic Signals/Signs
• Blocking Street/Sidewalk
• Dead/Unstable

• How fast. The City's timeframe list (last updated May 7, 2026) says: "Emergency tree work is immediately dispatched for service. Other reports of tree maintenance are addressed as soon as possible, depending on the severity of the issue." As of November 4, 2026, the Tree Maintenance form shows an estimated resolution time of 150 days for non-emergency work and warns that budget limits may mean extended waits. If a fallen tree or limb is a hazard right now, call 619-527-7500 or 911 instead of waiting on the form.
• A tree that survived the storm but now leans or has a split limb. Use the same form and choose the closest type, such as Dead/Unstable. The City says only dead trees or trees City staff deem an immediate safety issue are removed from the right-of-way as soon as possible.
• Do not cut it up yourself. Municipal Code section 62.0604 says no one may remove, cut, trim or otherwise injure a tree growing in a City street without a permit. Leave a downed City tree for City crews.

A tree from a yard can land across the sidewalk or into the street. If it is blocking traffic or is a danger, call 911, or 619-527-7500 for an urgent street problem. Clearing the public right-of-way is still the owner's job:

• The owner's responsibility. The Get It Done Vegetation Encroachment form says property owners are responsible for vegetation removal on their property, and lists "Trees obstructing pedestrian and vehicular right of ways" among its examples. Municipal Code section 54.0110 makes it unlawful to "place, allow to remain" or maintain any vegetation or object on a public street, alley or sidewalk except as the Code allows.
• Reporting it when the owner does not clear it. Use the Vegetation Encroachment form. As of November 4, 2026, it shows an estimated resolution time of 629 days and says compliance "can take several weeks depending on the nature of the required inspection, notice, & citation periods" run by the Transportation Department's Right of Way Code Compliance team.
• What we could not find. As of November 4, 2026, we did not find a City page that says who removes a private tree blocking a street in an emergency, or whether the owner is billed for it. Report the hazard first; questions about cost are for the City and the owner's insurer.

Branches from a private tree hanging low over the sidewalk, rather than fallen, are covered in our overgrown hedges and branches guide.

When a tree from one private lot falls onto another, it is generally a matter between the owners and their insurers. The City's tree program covers City-maintained trees, and we did not find a City service for private trees that fall onto private property.

• Safety first. If the tree brought down a wire or the service line to the house, call 911 and SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343 before anyone goes near it.
• Call your insurer. The California Department of Insurance's storm damage tips say: "Damage caused from fallen trees are generally covered under all standard homeowner policies. There may be exceptions." Its residential property claims guide says trees and shrubs themselves are insured only on a limited basis, often with a sub-limit of $500 (sometimes $250) per tree, and that some coverage may apply to debris removal after a covered loss.
• Talk to the neighbor. Exchange insurance details, as you would after a car accident. The County of San Diego's tree trimming page puts the general rule this way: "If a tree is located on your property, you are responsible for damage or conditions caused by it." Whether a particular owner is liable depends on the facts; ask your insurer or a lawyer.
• Questions about coverage. The Department of Insurance's consumer hotline is 800-927-4357.

For storm debris from your own yard, the City's Environmental Services Department says:

• Green bin. Its storm readiness page says leaves, branches and greenery are accepted in the green organics bin, and that sandbags, drywall, carpet, treated lumber and flood-damaged furniture are not; a single contaminated load can be rejected at the Miramar Greenery. It also says not to overload a bin in wet weather, because anything that keeps the lid from closing is likely to end up in the street.
• No trunks in any bin. The City's collection rules list "tree trunks" under building and construction debris that can never go in the trash, recycling or organics bin.
• Miramar Greenery. The City's Greenery page says residents and businesses can bring green waste there; fees apply. During rain, the City may close the landfill and Greenery to vehicles with trailers for safety. Call 858-694-7000 with questions.
• Keep it out of the gutter. Do not pile branches in the street, the gutter or over a storm drain; section 54.0110 bars leaving vegetation on the public right-of-way, and the City's Storm Preparedness page asks residents to keep debris from blocking the stormwater system. See our storm drains and flooding guide.
• A bin lost in the wind. The storm readiness page says to report a missing or damaged bin through Get It Done or at 858-694-7000, and that there is no charge to replace a City bin lost to severe weather.

• A City tree damaged your car or home. Claims go to the Risk Management Department's Public Liability and Loss Recovery Division. Its Public Liability page says claims must be in writing and filed through the Public Liability Claims Portal or on the RM-9 claim form, mailed or delivered in person (the address is on the form); since December 11, 2023 it no longer accepts first-notice claims by email. Property damage claims require an estimate and photographs. Main line 619-236-7300.
• Deadlines. The RM-9 form says claims for injury to a person or damage to personal property, such as a car, must be filed within six months (Government Code section 911.2), and all other claims within one year. The City's claims FAQ says there is no cost to file. The RM-9 instructions ask for two repair estimates and say to allow 45 days for processing. Filing does not mean the City accepts liability.
• Losses from an outage. SDG&E's claims page lets customers file a claim for loss or damage from a service interruption, by form or by calling 1-800-411-7343, but says SDG&E is not liable for failures caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, "such as weather conditions, damage by third parties, or other intervening damage to our facilities."
• Your own insurance. The Department of Insurance's winter weather alert says vehicles damaged by fallen trees are generally covered under the "Comprehensive" or "Other than Collision" part of an auto policy, if you bought it, and that homeowners policies may cover damage from fallen trees. Check your deductible before deciding how to proceed.

Our guide to filing a damage claim against the City walks through the portal, the form and what happens after you file. The City's Storm Preparedness page also tells residents to contact their property insurance carrier to report storm damage.

• Photos before anything is moved. The whole tree, where it came from (the parkway or a yard), the break or the root ball, and every piece of damage. The Tree Maintenance form asks for photos showing the surrounding area so crews can find the tree.
• Where. The nearest cross streets (for example "near Elm Street and 30th Street") and which side of the street, and the pin in Get It Done placed on the tree itself.
• When and what you did. The date and time it fell, the weather, your report numbers, who you called, and receipts for cleanup and temporary repairs. The Department of Insurance suggests keeping a "claim diary" of every conversation with your insurer.

Unincorporated County roads: see the County's road service request page. Other cities, such as Chula Vista or El Cajon, have their own service request systems.