Denver Issues Early Season Snow Warning

DENVER, CO — Denver Parks and Recreation officials have issued guidelines about how to remove snow and manage fallen trees and branches. Property owners are responsible for downed trees and branches on their private property and within the adjacent public right-of-way, the city said. Officials are urging residents not to move branches to parkways or other public areas.

The department offered the following guidelines for removing snow from trees:

• Be aware that accumulating snow, ice, or wind could cause limbs to break and fall at any time
• Check to make sure the tree is safe and clear of all utility lines prior to removing snow; do not attempt to shake snow off a tree if a utility line is going through its branches or is within contact distance
• If the tree is clear of utility lines, use a broom to remove as much snow as possible from branches by brushing off or gently shaking. Avoid large, rapid movement as this could cause the limb to break.
• Do not attempt to climb tree or use ladder to reach higher limbs

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Downed trees and branches:

• If emergency removal of a fallen tree or tree branch is needed to clear a street, call 311 to report the specific address of the location. The city will evaluate and prioritize the removal of the obstruction, and when necessary, the city will remove the encumbrance, and the cost of the work will be billed to the responsible property owner.
• Property owners are responsible for pruning and cleaning up debris from trees located on private property and within the public right of way adjacent to their property. Do not relocate branches to parkways or other public areas.
• Residents can visit the city's forestry webpage for a list of licensed and insured tree care contractors
• Solid Waste Management collects a limited number of branches as part of its regular extra trash collection service to residents. Branches must be no larger than 4 inches in diameter, and they must be cut into lengths of 4 feet or less, bundled and tied, and weigh no more than 50 pounds. Customers can set out up to 10 bundles of branches on their scheduled every-8-week extra trash collection.

• Denver residents can also drop off branches at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off center located near East Cherry Creek Drive South and South Quebec Street. Hours of operation can be found here.

Downed power lines/cables:

Stay clear of downed lines and report them immediately to Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-1999. If a power line is in contact with any object, stay away and call 911 immediately.

Anyone who witnesses an emergency that requires an immediate response should always call 911.