Fayetteville has been through several storms that brought trees down. When it happens, safety and the power lines come first, then the insurance photos, then the saw.
Storms on record
- rain near Hope Mills, Hurricane Matthew, 2016
- 17.00 in
- rain at KFAY, Hurricane Florence, Sept 13-17, 2018
- 15.27 in
- tornado in Fayetteville, April 16, 2011
- EF3
The National Weather Service's Matthew summary describes heavy rain across central and eastern North Carolina on October 8, 2016, more than 1.6 million customers losing power statewide, and most outages tied to hardwood trees uprooted by wind on saturated soil. For Florence, the Weather Service's rainfall list for Cumberland County runs from about 14 to 20.55 inches. Up & Coming Weekly reported the Cape Fear rising to within a foot of the Person Street bridge, and Cross Creek and Blount's Creek leaving their banks.
Right after the storm
- Stay clear of wires. Report downed lines and outages to PWC at (910) 483-1382, which answers 24 hours a day.
- Photograph everything. The tree, the damage and where it landed, before anything is moved.
- Describe it when you call. On the roof, on a car, across the drive, or still standing but split.
- Ask about the debris. Who hauls the trunk and limbs, and whether the stump is in the price.
What storm work costs
Lawn Love's national guide puts emergency removal at $450 to $3,000, and clearing away a tree that has already fallen at $90 to $300. This Old House expects emergency removal in Fayetteville to run about $1,399. Lawn Love adds that a tree in bad shape, storm-damaged or diseased, costs more to remove.
The cleanup that follows
City crews collect large limbs up to 5 feet long and 6 inches across, but not contractor-generated debris, stumps or root balls. Up & Coming Weekly warned in 2018 that storm debris pickup could take weeks. See limb pickup.
Where these facts come from
- National Weather Service Raleigh: Event Summary, Hurricane Matthew, October 2016
- National Weather Service Raleigh: Public Information Statement, storm total rainfall reports from Hurricane Florence (September 22, 2018)
- Wikipedia: Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Up & Coming Weekly: A history of Fayetteville floods (staff report, September 24, 2018)
- Fayetteville PWC: Tree Trimming
- Lawn Love (Adrian Nita, updated Oct. 5, 2026): How Much Does Tree Removal Cost in 2026?
- This Old House: Best 5 Tree Removal Services in Fayetteville, NC (Callie Marsalisi, updated February 5, 2024)
- City of Fayetteville: Large Limbs
- City of Fayetteville: City shares best practices for large limbs collection (May 21, 2026)
Each link was opened and read on October 27, 2026. The city, PWC and the state revise these pages without notice, so give the original a look before relying on a figure.
Common questions
How much rain did Florence drop on Fayetteville?
The National Weather Service's storm-total list shows 15.27 inches at the KFAY station for September 13 to 17, 2018, and up to 18.38 inches at volunteer gauges listed under Fayetteville.
Who do I call for a tree on a power line?
Fayetteville PWC Customer Service, (910) 483-1382, 24 hours a day for outages and downed lines. Keep away from the wire.
Get storm damage looked at
Phone the number or send the form. A contractor who takes tree jobs around Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Raeford and Eastover follows up, and the quote costs you nothing.
Got the voicemail? Leave a name, a number we can reach, the house address and a word about the tree.