Tree service in Douglas County, Oregon
Douglas County has the fourth-largest storm record in Oregon, with 228 NOAA reports since 2016, and the last three years were the busiest. Roseburg, its largest city, does not require a permit to remove a private tree.
Ranks 4 of 36 Oregon counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
46% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates wildfire as “Relatively High” here.
+0.7% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Landscaping-services establishments, Census CBP 2023.
Storm records for Douglas County
Only three Oregon counties have logged more storm reports than Douglas County’s 228, and the count is climbing. NOAA recorded 91 reports in 2023 through 2025, about 69% more than the 54 in 2020 through 2022, with 2024 the busiest year on file at 42.
Wildfire leads the mix at 76 reports, high wind follows at 67, then winter storms at 49 and heavy snow at 31. The calendar has two seasons: February (37), January (32) and March (29) bring wind and snow, and August and September (27 and 25) bring fire. Nearly every report here is zone-based, spread across the Central Douglas, Eastern Douglas foothills, South Central Cascades and South Central Coast zones.
The costliest entry is the Devils Knob fire, found on September 5, 2024 about 5 miles southeast of Tiller. It burned 4,149 acres and destroyed 2 structures, and NOAA attached $300,000 in damage to it.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| Wildfire | 76 |
| High Wind | 67 |
| Winter Storm | 49 |
| Heavy Snow | 31 |
| Ice Storm | 2 |
| Hail | 2 |
| Blizzard | 1 |
On February 13, 2023, a low dropped south and southeast into Oregon and spread heavy snow from the coast to the Cascades. Snow fell to about 500 feet in the Coast Range and to about 1,500 feet inland, which put valley-floor yards under load. NOAA logged four heavy snow reports across the county’s four forecast zones, the most of any episode in its record.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: Central Douglas County; Eastern Douglas County Foothills; South Central Oregon Cascades; South Central Oregon Coast.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2016 to June 2026 · NWS zone-county correlation files (2019 to 2026 versions). Checked 2026-10-02. NOAA Storm Events 2016-2026; zone-based events assigned to every county the NWS zone covers using the zone-county correlation file in force on the event date (2019-04-02 file used for 2016-2018).
Hazard ratings
Strong wind: Relatively LowIce storm: Relatively ModerateWinter weather: Relatively ModerateWildfire: Relatively High
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Douglas County Relatively High for wildfire, Relatively Moderate for ice storms and winter weather, Relatively Low for strong wind, and Relatively Moderate overall. The wind rating looks low next to 67 high-wind reports, but the index weighs exposure, and much of the county’s 5,036 square miles is forest rather than houses.
USDA’s Forest Service puts wildfire risk to homes higher than 71% of Oregon counties. Dead and leaning trees inside the home ignition zone belong at the top of your list; see the defensible space guide and dead tree removal.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 71% of Oregon counties (USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities).
What to do about wildfire exposure: defensible space in Washington and Oregon.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release · USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities (April 2026 download). Checked 2026-10-02.
Burning the debris
Oregon DEQ’s statewide rules in OAR 340-264 govern open burning in Douglas County; the county has no separate DEQ rule set and the Portland-area ban does not apply. With wildfire the top storm type here, fire-season closures are the real limit, so confirm with your fire agency before burning limbs. The Oregon burning guide lists the statewide conditions.
Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Oregon.
Source: Oregon DEQ. Checked 2026-10-02.
Power lines and utilities
Douglas Electric Co-op serves part of the county; report outages at (888) 420-8826. Its published vegetation policy does not go beyond general line safety, though it offers a free hazard survey when logging near its lines. For a tree touching a wire, call the co-op first and keep everyone back. Other utilities are listed in the utilities index.
| Utility | Outage line | Tree trimming requests |
|---|---|---|
| Central Lincoln PUD | 877-265-3211 | request page |
| Coos-Curry Electric Co-op | (866) 352-9044 | request page |
| Douglas Electric Co-op | (888) 420-8826 | request page |
| Emerald PUD | (541) 746-1583 / (800) 422-4086 | request page |
| Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) | 1-877-508-5088; text OUT to 722797 (source: https://www.pacificpower.net/outages-safety.html) | request page |
Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; OAR 437-002-0306 (OR-OSHA). Checked 2026-10-02.
Cities and towns in Douglas County
Douglas County’s 111,951 residents (Census, 2025, up 0.67% since 2020) are spread across a big county of small towns. Roseburg (23,693) is the only city researched so far, and it has no private-tree removal permit.
Sutherlin (8,635), Winston (5,625), Reedsport (4,310), Myrtle Creek (3,481), Canyonville, Riddle, Drain and Yoncalla have not been checked yet. If you live in one of them, call city hall before cutting a street-side tree.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|---|---|
| Roseburg | 23,693 | No private-tree permit |
| Sutherlin | 8,635 | Ask the city |
| Winston | 5,625 | Ask the city |
| Reedsport | 4,310 | Ask the city |
| Myrtle Creek | 3,481 | Ask the city |
| Canyonville | 1,640 | Ask the city |
| Riddle | 1,214 | Ask the city |
| Drain | 1,172 | Ask the city |
| Yoncalla | 1,021 | Ask the city |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Vintage 2025 and 2020 Census. Checked 2026-10-02. Permit rules from each city’s code; see the city pages.
Labor index
BLS does not publish a tree-trimmer wage for a Douglas County area, so this page uses the Oregon statewide mean of $35.40 an hour. It is a wage, not a price; the modeled crew rate below adds burden, equipment and overhead. Census counted 46 landscaping-services establishments here in 2023, a thin bench for a county this size, so book planned work outside fire season and after the winter storm rush.
Oregon statewide: $35.40 per hour mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners (BLS, May 2025); no metro estimate is published, so the statewide figure is shown. This is a labor index, not a price; the modeled crew-hour cost used on this site is $225 (method).
46 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Douglas County in 2023 (Census County Business Patterns, NAICS 561730).
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-3013 · U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730. Checked 2026-10-02.
Climate and growing conditions
The 2023 USDA map puts most of the county in zone 8b, but it ranges from 9a near the coast to 6a in the high Cascades. Check your own ZIP before buying stock. In the Umpqua valleys, Douglas fir and Oregon white oak are the common large trees; replant with fire spacing in mind and keep new conifers away from the house.
USDA hardiness zones 6a, 8b, 9a (2023 map, by ZIP code).
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.
Nearby counties
- Lane County249 storm reports since 2016
- Coos County112 storm reports since 2016
- Jackson County202 storm reports since 2016
- Josephine County126 storm reports since 2016
- Curry County253 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
Get the tree assessed first: a risk assessment separates fire-killed or wind-cracked trees that need removal from crowns that only need thinning. Roseburg has no permit; elsewhere, ask the city.
Confirm the company’s CCB license through the Oregon tree service license lookup, then call.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Oregon license lookup.
Major storms that reached Douglas County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Douglas County since 2016. Each storm page lists the dates, report counts and the other counties hit.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 2016 to June 2026, checked 2026-10-02.
- NWS zone-county correlation files (2019 to 2026 versions), checked 2026-10-02.
- FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release, checked 2026-10-02.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities (April 2026 download), checked 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Vintage 2025 and 2020 Census, checked 2026-10-02.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730, checked 2026-10-02.
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data), checked 2026-10-02.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 37-3013, checked 2026-10-02.
- Oregon DEQ, checked 2026-10-02.
- Central Lincoln PUD vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Coos-Curry Electric Co-op vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Douglas Electric Co-op vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Emerald PUD vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
Comparing quotes? Check these eight things first.
Two quotes for the same tree can differ by thousands. The gap is usually in what's included, not the cutting.
We don't vet or license anyone. These are the official lookups; each takes about a minute.
| What | Where | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon CCB license | CCB license search | Active status, bond, insurance on file, complaints |
| Oregon LCB license | LCB verify a license | Landscape contracting license, which covers tree work |
| Washington contractor registration | L&I Verify | Registration, bond, workers' comp, lawsuits, violations |
| ISA Certified Arborist | ISA directory | Current certification and credential number |
How to read them: Oregon guide · Washington guide
Westcoast-Tree.org is an independent information site. If you call a number on this site, the call goes to a tree service that covers your area and we may be paid a referral fee by that company. We don't perform tree work and we don't vet, license or insure anyone. Cost figures are modeled estimates, not quotes (method). Not affiliated with the former Westcoast Tree Care Inc of Tumwater, WA.