Tree service in Skamania County, Washington
Ice in the Columbia River Gorge drives Skamania County’s worst storm days: on January 16, 2024 alone NOAA filed 11 reports here, nine of them ice storms, and the county ranks 8th of Washington’s 39 for storm reports since 2016.
Ranks 8 of 39 Washington counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
84% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates wildfire as “Relatively Moderate” here.
+5.3% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Landscaping-services establishments, Census CBP 2023.
Storm records for Skamania County
January 2024 was the county’s worst stretch in recent years. NOAA logged 30 reports in 2024, the most since 2017’s 32, and the single episode of January 16 accounted for 11 of them as freezing rain and snow kept falling in the Gorge and the south Cascades. Ice storms total 17 of the county’s 162 reports, more than one in ten.
Heavy snow still leads the record at 72 reports, followed by winter storms (36), high wind (19), ice storms (17) and wildfire (8). The season is tight: January (46), February (41) and December (41) dominate, and 84% of reports fall between November and February. NOAA lists no deaths or injuries.
The practical upshot is that big conifers along SR 14 and on Gorge slopes are most likely to fail under ice loading in midwinter, when access is hardest. Get trees over the house inspected in fall.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 72 |
| Winter Storm | 36 |
| High Wind | 19 |
| Ice Storm | 17 |
| Wildfire | 8 |
| Winter Weather | 4 |
| Blizzard | 4 |
| Hail | 1 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1 |
The January 16, 2024 episode was the second wave of a cold outbreak. The arctic air that had settled in days earlier stayed put, so each new round of precipitation fell as freezing rain or snow. NOAA filed nine ice-storm and two winter-storm reports across the central and western Columbia River Gorge and the south Washington Cascades and foothills, with no damage figure attached.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: Central Columbia River Gorge – SR 14; South Washington Cascade Foothills; South Washington Cascades; West Columbia River Gorge – SR 14.
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: Very LowWildfire: Relatively Moderate
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Skamania County Relatively Moderate for wildfire, Relatively Low for ice storms, Very Low for strong wind and Very Low for winter weather, Relatively Low overall. USDA’s Forest Service puts wildfire risk to homes higher than in 76% of Washington counties.
The September 2020 east-wind event shows why: very dry air and strong downslope winds off the Cascades drove explosive fire growth across the region starting September 7. For a forested lot here, defensible-space thinning belongs on the list next to ice preparation.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 76% of Washington 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
The Southwest Clean Air Agency sets burning rules here. Residential yard-debris burning is permanently banned inside urban growth areas and designated No Burn Areas. Outside them you can self-issue a permit for one pile no larger than 10 by 10 by 6 feet; slash and land-clearing burns need a site-specific permit (SWCAA 425). The Washington burning guide has more.
Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Washington.
Source: Southwest Clean Air Agency. Checked 2026-10-02.
Power lines and utilities
Skamania County’s electric utilities are not mapped on this site yet, so no outage line or trimming policy appears here. The utilities page explains who is responsible for trees near lines in Washington; with ice the main hazard, keep well away from any limb resting on a wire and report it to your utility.
Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; WAC 296-24-960 (WA L&I). Checked 2026-10-02.
Cities and towns in Skamania County
Only 12,669 people live in the county (Census Vintage 2025), though that is 5.3% more than in 2020. Stevenson (1,491) and North Bonneville (1,397) are the small cities on the river; Washougal (18,028), listed with this county on the site, is the larger city downriver. None of the three has had its tree rules researched yet, so ask the city before removing a large tree.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|---|---|
| Stevenson | 1,491 | Ask the city |
| North Bonneville | 1,397 | 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 at $35.04 an hour in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro area, the metro estimate used here. That is a labor index, not a price; the modeled range below adds payroll, equipment and overhead. Census County Business Patterns counted just 3 landscaping-services establishments in the county in 2023, so expect most crews to travel in.
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA: $35.04 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 $210 (method).
3 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Skamania 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
USDA’s 2023 map puts most of Skamania in zone 8a, ranging from 7b in the higher Cascades to 8b and 9a along the river. Elevation matters more than latitude here. For replanting near a house, pick species that shed ice well and resist fire, keep conifers back from the roofline, and plant in fall.
USDA hardiness zones 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a (2023 map, by ZIP code).
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (OSU PRISM ZIP data). Checked 2026-10-02.
Nearby counties
- Clark County118 storm reports since 2016
- Cowlitz County154 storm reports since 2016
- Lewis County78 storm reports since 2016
- Klickitat County160 storm reports since 2016
- Yakima County140 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
After an ice storm, wait for limbs to stop falling before you walk under trees, then use the fallen tree guide and the Washington storm damage and insurance guide. For planned thinning or removal, get an assessment and confirm burn rules with SWCAA. Run the contractor through the Washington license lookup before work starts.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Washington license lookup.
Major storms that reached Skamania County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Skamania 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.
- Southwest Clean Air Agency, 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.