Drought contributes to fallen trees in storms - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

One of the biggest problems for homeowners during this weekend's storm was tree damage. Firefighters responded to flames sparked when live power lines contacted tree limbs. And they had to wait for power crews to turn off the electricity.
 
Tree removal companies stayed busy all day Sunday, cutting and carting off trees that landed on homes, garages, and cars.

Barry Macey was one who experienced storm damage in Indianapolis. "I was afraid that it might have gotten both cars," he said. "I could see from inside the house that it was right between them. But it did not seem likely that it would have fallen between them."

Several intersections throughout the metro area were blocked by fallen trees. Others experienced signal outages.
  
Falling limbs behind Scott Salmon's home hit power lines which burned part of his garage. "It has gotten worse," Salmon said. "But the fire department is here. Since they got here, we are feeling a lot better about it. So they know if it starts moving towards the house they can take care of it."
  
Fortunately, Fred Miller's old oak tree fell away from his house. "I see my oak tree, and I am just sick because I love my oak tree," he said. "That is one reason I bought the house - because I have twin oaks."

Trees fell on vehicles, including Erik Riteris' 1995 Chevy, which was severely smashed by an uprooted front yard tree. In his back yard, another tree left a gaping hole in his neighbor's garage.

"There's a pretty big crater where the roots and the tap root broke off," Riteris said.

Tree removal crews say the dry weather has made trees more susceptible to toppling during severe weather. They strongly suggest people with trees on their property get them checked out. Warning signs include dead limbs, loose bark you can pull off by hand, and hollow trunks caused by rot or insects.

Pat McNabb of Ping Tree Service said, "If you have a hole in your tree, it's not going to be too safe. Any kind of wind - 60 mile-an-hour winds - it's going to drop them."