Tree cleanup underway in Aberdeen after heavy ice

Aberdeen, South Dakota (Dakota News Now) – Tree branches are still down in the town of Aberdeen after last week’s winter storms and heavy ice.

Marerie Henschel woke up early Thursday morning when ice knocked over a tree in her front yard.

“I was actually asleep. It came down at about 5 in the morning. It was really loud and woke me up. I looked out the window and there was a tree in the garden,” Henschel said. Told.

Luckily, Mr. Henschel was relieved that the tree had barely eroded the house and no damage was done.

“There could have been a hole in the roof or the windows in the bedroom had been removed. If there had been a hole in the house at five o’clock in the morning, it would have been a really bad experience,” Henschel said.

The tree is on the main street, so the city will put it away. These cleanup efforts began immediately on Thursday, but since it was a holiday weekend, the branches blocking the road were a top priority.

As of Monday, the crew had begun clearing the boulevard’s branches. Large trees, such as those in Henschel’s garden, take longer to cut.

“What’s slowing us down is anything that hasn’t fallen, is broken and hanging, or has fallen into the yard. Because when a whole tree falls into the yard, it takes more time to clean it up.” , we’re going to be really late,” said Aaron Keyes, a forester in the city of Aberdeen.

The city has started cleaning up, but the private property branch is the responsibility of the homeowner.

“If it’s a homeowner or privately owned tree, you’ll need to hire a tree service or take the material to the landfill because they’re just picking up boulevard tree debris that has fallen off the tree,” Kiesz said. said.

Kiesz anticipates that it will take a week for the boulevard’s branches to be cleared, but any branches hanging from potentially dangerous trees should be reported immediately.

“If it’s a branch that’s fallen from a tree and it’s lying on the main street, I’ll go pick it up soon, so I don’t need to be called. I think,” Kiesz said.

Aberdeen residents can call 605-626-7015 to report a hanging tree branch or branch blocking the road.

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