Companies swamped with calls as Calgarians try to tackle storm cleanup

CALGARY- Calgarians trying to tackle the cleanup from a summer storm on their own are finding tools in high demand.

Chainsaws, axes and other garden tools have been flying off the shelves at hardware stores.

“I bought the chainsaw this morning, and it’s because I’ve got an ash tree that split in two,” said Bob Nicoll, who was shopping at Canadian Tire. “Half of it is in the street, and the other half is in my driveway.”

Tree companies have also been swamped with calls all week, which means homeowners have to be prepared to wait.

“Anything on the ground or easily accessible off the ground you can safely remove and put off to the side, but we highly recommend calling a professional tree company to deal with some of this,” said Chris Meyers from The Arborist Expert Tree Service.

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He suggests leaving the split wood exposed after cutting or clearing broken branches, as covering it up will seal in decay.

READ MORE: Tumbling trees downed by heavy snow cause chaos around Calgary

The city also wants people to leave tree branches out of their black and blue bins, as they’re planning another mode of pickup. In the mean time, cut them into small sections and put them aside, or take them to a city landfill yourself. There is currently no charge for homeowners or contractors.