Tree service in Stevens County, Washington
Stevens County’s storm count has dropped by more than half, from 97 NOAA reports in 2017 through 2019 to 41 in 2023 through 2025, yet it still ranks 4th of Washington’s 39 counties with 357 since 2016.
Ranks 4 of 39 Washington counties for wind, ice, snow and storm reports.
76% of reports fall November through February.
FEMA National Risk Index rates winter weather as “Relatively Moderate” here.
+6.9% since 2020 (Census Vintage 2025).
USDA 2023 zone covering most of the county.
Landscaping-services establishments, Census CBP 2023.
Storm records for Stevens County
The decline is real but the base is high. From 2017 to 2020 the county logged 55, 78, 57 and 64 reports; since 2021 no year has topped 19. Heavy snow accounts for 288 of the 357 total, with thunderstorm wind (14), wildfire (13) and winter weather (10) next. January (109) and December (83) lead, and 76% of reports fall between November and February.
NOAA lists no deaths or injuries for the county. Summer still produces a steady trickle of wind, hail and fire reports, from 6 in May to 14 in September.
For tree owners the mix is snow breakage in winter and fire exposure in summer. Quieter recent winters are a good window for planned thinning and removals rather than a reason to skip them.
Reports by month, 2016 to 2026
| Event type | Reports |
|---|---|
| Heavy Snow | 288 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 14 |
| Wildfire | 13 |
| Winter Weather | 10 |
| Strong Wind | 9 |
| High Wind | 9 |
| Hail | 7 |
| Winter Storm | 6 |
| Lightning | 1 |
The record’s busiest single episode was January 23, 2018. A warm front parked over eastern Washington and pulled in a deep stream of Pacific moisture, giving the northeastern mountains and valleys a day or more of steady snow while the Columbia Basin to the southwest got mostly rain. NOAA logged 12 heavy-snow reports in the Northeast Mountains zone.
NWS forecast zones covering the county: Northeast Mountains.
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 ModerateWildfire: Relatively Moderate
FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Stevens County Relatively Moderate for wildfire and winter weather, Relatively Low for ice storms, Very Low for strong wind, and Relatively Low overall. USDA’s Forest Service puts wildfire risk to homes higher than in 79% of Washington counties.
The lightning-started Crown Creek fire near Marble, which began in late August 2025, carried about $33 million in damage in NOAA’s record. On a timbered lot, defensible-space work such as thinning, limbing up and clearing ladder fuels is the tree job most worth planning.
Wildfire risk to homes: higher than 79% 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
No regional clean-air agency covers Stevens County, so Washington Department of Ecology rules apply: no residential or land-clearing burning in urban growth areas or cities over 10,000 (WAC 173-425-040), no prohibited materials, someone attending the fire and a 50-foot setback (WAC 173-425-050). Fire-district burn bans can apply on top of that; see the Washington burning guide.
Full rules, seasons and alternatives: yard debris burning rules in Washington.
Source: Washington Department of Ecology. Checked 2026-10-02.
Power lines and utilities
Stevens County’s electric utilities are not mapped on this site yet, so no outage number or trimming policy appears here. Use the utilities page for Washington’s line-clearance rules, and treat any snow-bent tree resting on a line as the utility’s call, not yours.
| Utility | Outage line | Tree trimming requests |
|---|---|---|
| Avista | (800) 227-9187 | request page |
| Inland Power & Light | (509) 747-7151 (dedicated outage line not found) | request page |
Source: utility vegetation-management pages linked above; WAC 296-24-960 (WA L&I). Checked 2026-10-02.
Cities and towns in Stevens County
The county has 49,668 residents across about 2,477 square miles (Census Vintage 2025), up 6.94% since 2020. Colville (4,917) and Chewelah (2,470) are the largest towns, and neither has had its tree rules researched yet. Most tree work happens on rural land, where county rules and the burn rules above govern.
| Place | Population | Private-tree permit rule |
|---|---|---|
| Colville | 4,917 | Ask the city |
| Chewelah | 2,470 | Ask the city |
| Kettle Falls | 1,636 | 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 $25.94 an hour in the Spokane-Spokane Valley area, the metro estimate used for Stevens County. That is a labor index, not a price; the modeled range below adds payroll, equipment and overhead. Census County Business Patterns counted 11 landscaping-services establishments here in 2023, so book planned work early.
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA: $25.94 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).
11 landscaping-services establishments were counted in Stevens 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 Stevens County mostly in zone 6a, with 6b and 7a in lower valleys. Replant with cold-hardy natives such as ponderosa pine, western larch or Douglas fir, and space them away from buildings for fire. Spring planting gives roots a season before winter snow.
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
- Pend Oreille County348 storm reports since 2016
- Ferry County158 storm reports since 2016
- Spokane County707 storm reports since 2016
- Lincoln County310 storm reports since 2016
- Okanogan County581 storm reports since 2016
What to do next
After a snowstorm or fire, start with the fallen tree guide and the Washington storm damage and insurance guide. For planned thinning or removal, get an assessment, confirm burn rules with your fire district, then call. Check any contractor in the Washington license lookup.
Services: tree removal · trimming · stump grinding · emergency. Check any company: Washington license lookup.
Major storms that reached Stevens County
These regional storms produced NOAA Storm Events reports in Stevens 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.
- Washington Department of Ecology, checked 2026-10-02.
- Avista vegetation management, checked 2026-10-02.
- Inland Power & Light 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.