This year, the agecy has removed just over a thousand hazardous trees, significantly more than in 2024. For example, in Tartu County, the Rescue Board was called to remove trees 155 times in the first half of last year, while in the first half of this year, there were 100 more such calls.

"When we look at the nationwide picture, both across Estonia and in Tartu County, the number of incidents has increased significantly," said Rescue Board official Tarmo Voltein.

During the first two weeks of July, the Rescue Board had to remove nearly three times as many hazardous trees as in July of the previous year, he said. Fallen trees during storms are often handled by volunteer fire brigades. On average, it takes about 13 minutes for rescuers to arrive at the scene.

Normally, a felling permit is required to remove a tree, but to ensure safety, individuals may cut down trees themselves in exceptional cases, said Kaire Zimmer, arborist at Tartu city's landscaping and maintenance department.

"If a tree is broken by a storm and someone wants to clear it away, it is best to inform the city so that a photo of the broken tree can be sent to city arborists. This way, we can document that the tree was hazardous and could be removed without a permit," Zimmer explained.

Trees that pose a danger to people or property are usually removed by the Rescue Board. They generally do not deal with trees that have fallen onto roads, Zimmer said.

"For instance, if a report comes in through the city's info line that a tree has fallen onto a road, the city quickly dispatches a road maintenance crew to clear the way and remove the tree," she noted.

Voltein encouraged people to contact the Rescue Board if they notice a hazardous tree: "We respond if there is a danger to property, human life, or any life at all — it does not have to be a person, it could also be an animal, or if there is a risk of another incident occurring. In such cases, it is definitely wise to call 112."

This summer's storms have been stronger compared to last year. Meteorologist Taimi Paljak said that last year there was little precipitation and the air was dry. This year, there has been more precipitation than usual, and the weather has also been cooler. All of this affects treefalls.

"Wet ground does not hold tree roots as well or as firmly, so trees break more easily in strong winds. And wind data has also shown that winds were stronger this year. The storm on July 3-4 was exceptionally strong. Another factor is the gusts beneath thunderclouds — during intense thunderstorms, wind gusts beneath the storm clouds can reach 25 to 26 meters per second," Paljak said.

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