Helene-impacted homeowners worry about more trees falling with high winds forecasted
Experts tell News 13 that this week's forecasted strong winds pose a risk to large trees that were already impacted by Hurricane Helene.
By Kimberly King
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HENDERSON COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Homeowners who have spent thousands of dollars removing fallen trees from their homes and yards after Hurricane Helene worry about this week’s forecast for high winds. Some are worried that the winds could topple trees left unstable by Helene.
“We’re worried about our trees falling and there are some leaning since Helene,” said Janet Link, who lives in Sedgewood, a Hendersonville subdivision with mature trees.
Link told News 13 that the community was built in 1969.
“My neighbor especially is worried about trees falling,” she said.
Her neighbor had to put up a new roof after two large trees fell on it during Helene.
Dale Epperson, who owns Epperson Tree Service, showed News 13 broken tree limbs sixty feet in the air that, he said, could come down this week with winds.
“Yes, that limb could kill a person,” said Epperson about some of the dangling tree limbs.
He showed News 13 another tree scheduled to come down on a homeowner’s property, which is leaning toward the house.
“If you’re laying in your bed at night worrying about this tree falling on your house, I don’t think it’s a safe situation,” Epperson said.
Duke Energy crews are aware of possible power outages and are preparing for the case.
“At our home base operations center, they are preparing trucks,” said Logan Kureczka, spokesperson for Duke Energy. “They’re making sure we have supplies ready to go.”
Kureczka urges customers with outages to use Duke Energy’s texting service to get the notice in; Text 57801 and type in “OUT” to report a home outage.
It is important to note that your cell number must be tied to your account so crews know the address where the power is out.
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