Tree service in Polk County, Oregon
Storms are rarer in Polk County than in most of Oregon, 30th of 36 counties with 78 NOAA reports since 2016, so most removals here are planned jobs. When ice does arrive, it hits hard: the February 2021 storm carried $10 million in damage.
Ranks 30 of 36 Oregon counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
71% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates ice storm as “Relatively Moderate” here.
+3.0% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Landscaping-services establishments, Census CBP 2023.
Storm records for Polk County
Polk County sits in the bottom quarter of Oregon for storm reports: NOAA logged 78 since 2016, ranking 30th of 36. High wind leads at 37, followed by heavy snow at 13, ice storms at 9 and strong wind at 8. January is the peak month with 20 reports, then December at 17 and February at 15, and 71% of the record falls November through February.
The pace is steady. Reports for 2023 through 2025 total 21, against 22 for 2020 through 2022, with no clear trend in either direction.
A low count does not mean low stakes. The ice storm that began February 11, 2021 carries $10 million in damage in NOAA’s record for the county, and the record lists one death overall. In a county where Oregon white oak and Douglas fir are the common big trees, a planned crown reduction before winter costs less than a cleanup after one.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| High Wind | 37 |
| Heavy Snow | 13 |
| Ice Storm | 9 |
| Strong Wind | 8 |
| Winter Storm | 5 |
| Wildfire | 3 |
| Winter Weather | 2 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1 |
The most recent large episode came on February 13, 2025. Cold air was already settled over the valley when a warm front spread precipitation north across the region, and the warmer air riding over it produced snow, sleet and freezing rain across western Oregon into February 14. NOAA logged three ice-storm reports for the Central Coast Range, its lowlands and the West Central Willamette Valley zones that cover Polk County.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: Central Oregon Coast Range; Central Oregon Coast Range Lowlands; West Central Willamette Valley.
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: Relatively ModerateWinter weather: Relatively LowWildfire: Very Low
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Polk County Relatively Low overall, Very Low for strong wind and wildfire, Relatively Low for winter weather and Relatively Moderate for ice storms. The ice score of 64.5 lines up with the 2021 record: freezing rain, not wind, is what costs money here.
USDA’s Forest Service puts the wildfire risk to homes higher than only 9% of Oregon counties, among the lowest in the state. Fire clearance still matters on Coast Range lots, but storm-load pruning is the bigger job.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 9% 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 sets burning rules under OAR 340-264, and Polk is one of five Willamette Valley counties with its own county provisions in OAR 340-264-0110. We could not read that section at our last check, so confirm the current open-burning conditions with DEQ or your fire district before lighting a pile. The Oregon burning guide covers the statewide rules.
Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Oregon.
Source: Oregon DEQ. Checked 2026-10-02.
Pests and quarantines
Mediterranean oak borer (MOB)
Mediterranean oak borer is confirmed in Polk County, with no quarantine in place. That matters in a county with a lot of Oregon white oak. Keep cut oak firewood within 10 miles of where it was cut, and burn or chip infested trees on site, including the stump, at an inch or less. If you see dieback and boring dust on an oak, report it with photos and a location to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline before the tree comes down.
- Mediterranean oak borer (MOB): Don't move cut oak firewood >10 miles from source; cut then burn or chip (<=1 in) infested trees including the stump on site; report with photos/location to Oregon Invasives Hotline
Source: Mediterranean oak borer (MOB). Checked 2026-10-02.
Power lines and utilities
Consumers Power Inc. is the utility mapped for part of Polk County. CPI prunes along its lines, but says the service drop to your house “is not typically pruned by CPI”, so clearance on that span is the owner’s job. There is no dedicated outage phone on file; use the outage center at outage.cpi.coop or the office numbers in the table above. If another utility serves your address, check the utilities index.
| Utility | Outage line | Tree trimming requests |
|---|---|---|
| Consumers Power Inc. | Use the outage line on your bill or the utility’s outage page | request page |
| Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) | 1-877-508-5088; text OUT to 722797 (source: https://www.pacificpower.net/outages-safety.html) | request page |
| Portland General Electric | 503-464-7777 or 800-544-1795 (24 h) | request page |
| Salem Electric | (503) 362-3601 ("Office & Outage Notification") | request page |
Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; OAR 437-002-0306 (OR-OSHA). Checked 2026-10-02.
Cities and towns in Polk County
Polk County’s 90,037 residents (Census, 2025 estimate, up 2.97% since 2020) are concentrated in four towns. Dallas is the largest at 17,890; we found no tree-removal permit rule there, so ask the city before cutting a street-side tree. Monmouth (11,543), Independence (10,195) and Falls City (1,051) have not been researched yet.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 17,890 | Ask the city |
| Monmouth | 11,543 | Ask the city |
| Independence | 10,195 | Ask the city |
| Falls City | 1,051 | 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 puts the mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners in the Salem metro at $34.49 an hour. That is a wage, not a price: the modeled crew rate below adds payroll burden, equipment and overhead. Census County Business Patterns counted 31 landscaping-services establishments in Polk County in 2023.
Salem, OR: $34.49 per hour mean wage for tree trimmers and pruners (BLS, May 2025). This is a labor index, not a price; the modeled crew-hour cost used on this site is $225 (method).
31 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Polk 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
All of Polk County falls in USDA hardiness zone 8b, so cold is rarely what kills a new tree here. Ice is the test. When replanting, choose species with strong branch angles, keep large conifers well back from the house, and think twice before putting in another oak while Mediterranean oak borer is active in the county.
USDA hardiness zone 8b (2023 map, by ZIP code).
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.
Nearby counties
- Yamhill County79 storm reports since 2016
- Benton County70 storm reports since 2016
- Lincoln County144 storm reports since 2016
- Marion County148 storm reports since 2016
- Tillamook County152 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
Start with a risk assessment if a tree came through an ice storm with cracked leaders, then decide between pruning and removal. If you are in Dallas or another city, ask about permits first.
When you call, check the company’s CCB license through the Oregon tree service license lookup, and on oak, ask how the wood will be handled.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Oregon license lookup.
Major storms that reached Polk County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Polk 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.
- Consumers Power Inc. vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Pacific Power (PacifiCorp) vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Portland General Electric vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Salem Electric vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Mediterranean oak borer (MOB), 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.