Tree service in Gilliam County, Oregon
In Gilliam County, tree trouble is a winter event: 79% of the 82 storm reports NOAA has logged since 2016 fell between November and February, most of them heavy snow.
Ranks 26 of 36 Oregon counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
79% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates wildfire as “Relatively Low” here.
-1.1% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Storm records for Gilliam County
February is the month to watch here. NOAA logged 24 of the county’s reports in February, 17 in January and 17 in December, and seven in November, so four months account for 79% of the record. Heavy snow makes up 49 of the 82 reports; high wind adds 19, and ice storms, wildfire and thunderstorm wind three each.
Recent years have been quieter. The county logged 15 reports in 2023 through 2025, about half the 31 recorded in 2020 through 2022, and only one in 2025. Its 82-report total ranks 26th of Oregon’s 36 counties. None of the county’s NOAA entries carry a property-damage figure, and no deaths or injuries are recorded.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 49 |
| High Wind | 19 |
| Ice Storm | 3 |
| Wildfire | 3 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 3 |
| Winter Storm | 2 |
| Hail | 2 |
| Winter Weather | 1 |
Starting January 3, 2022, a long stretch of northwest flow kept pushing moisture into the mountains, where upslope snow showers fell almost daily. Fronts and passing troughs added heavier snow, periods of freezing rain at lower elevations and strong winds at the start and end of the cold spell. NOAA logged four reports for the county from this episode, three heavy snow and one high wind, across the Eastern Columbia River Gorge and Southern Blue Mountains zones.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: East Columbia River Gorge; Foothills of the Southern Blue Mountains of Oregon; Southern Blue Mountains of Oregon.
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: Very LowIce storm: Very LowWinter weather: Very LowWildfire: Relatively Low
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Gilliam County Very Low for strong wind, ice storms and winter weather, Relatively Low for wildfire, and Very Low overall. With 1,971 people across 1,205 square miles, there is little exposed property for the index to count.
The wildfire picture is sharper when you look at homes: USDA’s Forest Service puts wildfire risk to homes higher than 83% of Oregon counties. On a farmstead with a windbreak, dead trees and dry grass under the canopy are the work to schedule; the defensible space guide sets the distances.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 83% 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
Open burning in Gilliam County follows Oregon DEQ’s statewide rules in OAR 340-264, with no county-specific DEQ section. Burning windbreak trimmings is usually possible outside fire season, but check with your fire agency for closures first; the Oregon burning guide covers what can and cannot go on a pile.
Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Oregon.
Source: Oregon DEQ. Checked 2026-10-02.
Power lines and utilities
No electric utility is mapped for Gilliam County on this site yet, so the outage line and line-clearance policy are not listed. Look up your provider on your bill and use the utilities index. With 19 high-wind reports on file, a limb on a service line is the utility’s call, not a homeowner’s.
| Utility | Outage line | Tree trimming requests |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Gilliam County
Gilliam County has 1,971 residents (Census, 2025, down 1.05% since 2020), and no city here has been researched for tree rules yet. If you live inside a town, call city hall about street trees before cutting; outside town limits, no local removal permit is on file.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|
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 has no tree-trimmer wage for a Gilliam County area, so the Oregon statewide mean of $35.40 an hour stands in. That is pay, not a price; the modeled crew rate below layers costs on top. Census does not report a landscaping-business count for the county, which means a crew will likely be traveling in, and travel time belongs in the estimate.
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).
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
Gilliam County sits mostly in USDA hardiness zone 7a, with 7b in the warmer river country. For a windbreak or yard replacement, pick drought-tolerant species that handle wind and snow load; a tree that splits under heavy snow will show up in next February’s storm count.
USDA hardiness zones 7a, 7b (2023 map, by ZIP code).
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.
Nearby counties
- Sherman County75 storm reports since 2016
- Morrow County82 storm reports since 2016
- Wasco County145 storm reports since 2016
- Wheeler County94 storm reports since 2016
- Jefferson County175 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
If a storm has split a windbreak tree, have it looked at before cutting: a risk assessment decides between pruning and removal. Ask any traveling crew how they price mileage.
Check their CCB license with the Oregon tree service license lookup before you hire, then call.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Oregon license lookup.
Major storms that reached Gilliam County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Gilliam 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.
- 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.