Tree service in Wallowa County, Oregon
Wallowa County logged 89 NOAA storm reports since 2016, 25th of Oregon’s 36 counties, and 61 of them were heavy snow. The pace has slowed: 19 reports in 2023 through 2025, against 30 in the three years before.
Ranks 25 of 36 Oregon counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
66% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates wildfire as “Relatively Moderate” here.
+2.8% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Landscaping-services establishments, Census CBP 2023.
Storm records for Wallowa County
Recent winters have been quieter in Wallowa County. NOAA logged 19 storm reports in 2023 through 2025, about 37% fewer than the 30 recorded in 2020 through 2022. Over the full record, 89 reports since 2016, the county ranks 25th of 36 in Oregon.
Heavy snow is the main hazard, with 61 reports, then hail at 8, high wind at 6 and thunderstorm wind and winter storms at 4 each. February leads with 29 reports and December follows at 14; 66% fall between November and February. July still logs 7, a reminder that summer thunderstorms bring wind and hail here.
The record lists four injuries. For tree owners, the work is about snow load in winter and storm-damaged crowns in summer, and pruning weak limbs before either season helps with both.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 61 |
| Hail | 8 |
| High Wind | 6 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 4 |
| Winter Storm | 4 |
| Wildfire | 3 |
| Ice Storm | 2 |
| Tornado | 1 |
On July 19, 2016, a thunderstorm moved through Wallowa County from about 8 miles north-northwest of Imnaha, downing 12 large trees along Fence Line Road. Hail an inch across was still on the ground 15 hours later, suggesting much larger stones at the time; it wrecked a canvas tent and damaged a horse trailer and a fire tower. Penny-size hail was also reported in Lostine that day. NOAA logged three reports: one for thunderstorm wind and two for hail.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon; Wallowa County.
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 LowWinter weather: Relatively LowWildfire: Relatively Moderate
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Wallowa County Very Low overall and Very Low for strong wind, Relatively Low for ice storms and winter weather, and Relatively Moderate for wildfire. Damage risk to homes is low on paper, but the 2016 episode shows a single thunderstorm can still put large trees down.
USDA’s Forest Service puts the wildfire risk to homes higher than 57% of Oregon counties. On forested lots, defensible space is part of tree work.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 57% 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 the burning rules for Wallowa County under the statewide OAR 340-264, with no county-specific chapter. Check fire-season restrictions with your local fire district before burning, and see the Oregon burning guide for the statewide rules.
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 Wallowa County on this site yet, so outage numbers and trimming rules for your address are not shown here. Find your utility on your bill and start at the utilities index. After a summer thunderstorm like the 2016 episode, treat any downed limb near a line as live.
| Utility | Outage line | Tree trimming requests |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Power | 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 |
Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; OAR 437-002-0306 (OR-OSHA). Checked 2026-10-02.
Cities and towns in Wallowa County
Wallowa County has 7,595 residents (Census, 2025 estimate, up 2.77% since 2020) across 3,146 square miles. Enterprise is the largest town at 2,052, followed by Joseph at 1,154. Neither has been researched for a tree-removal permit on this site; ask city hall before cutting a street tree, and see the Oregon permit guide.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 2,052 | Ask the city |
| Joseph | 1,154 | 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
No metro wage series covers Wallowa County, so this page uses BLS’s Oregon statewide mean for tree trimmers and pruners: $35.40 an hour. That is a wage, not a price; the modeled crew rate below adds burden, equipment and overhead. Census County Business Patterns counted 8 landscaping-services establishments in the county in 2023, so expect travel time on larger jobs.
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).
8 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Wallowa 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
Wallowa County is mostly USDA hardiness zone 6b, with 6a in the colder high country and 7a in the lowest spots. Replant with species rated for 6a or colder, with strong branch structure for snow load, and leave room between crowns and the house given the wildfire rating.
USDA hardiness zones 6a, 6b, 7a (2023 map, by ZIP code).
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.
Nearby counties
- Union County143 storm reports since 2016
- Baker County42 storm reports since 2016
- Umatilla County186 storm reports since 2016
- Grant County81 storm reports since 2016
- Morrow County82 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
After a storm, get a risk assessment on any tree with split limbs or a new lean before deciding between trimming and removal. In Enterprise or Joseph, ask the city about street-tree rules first.
Before hiring, confirm the company’s CCB license through the Oregon tree service license lookup.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Oregon license lookup.
Major storms that reached Wallowa County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Wallowa 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.
- Idaho Power 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.