Every fall, the Santa Ana winds come roaring through Southern California. They knock down palm fronds, snap branches, flatten fences, and toss patio furniture across the yard. When the gusts finally die down, a lot of homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire wake up to the same question: what do I do with all this mess?
This guide walks you through wind storm debris cleanup the safe way. We cover what to do first, what your city’s regular trash and green waste service will take, and when it makes sense to call a junk removal crew.
Before you pick up a single branch, walk the property and look up. Santa Ana wind events are one of the main reasons power lines come down in our region. Southern California Edison’s guidance is simple: stay at least 100 feet away from a downed line and call 911. Don’t touch anything that’s in contact with the line, including branches, fences, or a car. Wet ground and puddles near a fallen line can carry current too.
If a branch or object is caught in a power line but the line is still up, SCE asks you to report it at 1-800-611-1911. Don’t try to pull it free yourself, and don’t let a tree service or junk crew touch it either. That’s utility work.
If the wind damaged your fence, patio cover, shed, roof, or car, take photos and video before you clean anything up. Shoot wide shots of the whole yard and close-ups of each damaged item. Many homeowner policies cover some wind damage, and your adjuster will want to see the before picture.
Sorting it makes disposal faster and cheaper, because different materials go to different places. Most wind cleanups break down into these piles:
Your green bin is the first stop for leaves, fronds, and small branches. Under California’s SB 1383 organics law, cities have to keep green waste out of the landfill, so it gets turned into mulch and compost. After big wind events, LA Sanitation has asked residents to set extra fronds and branches next to their green bin on collection day, and its yard trimmings rules call for branches bundled and tied, no longer than 4 feet and no heavier than 30 pounds. Rules vary by city and hauler, so check with your local provider or MyLA311 before you stack a big pile at the curb.
If the tree that came down is a parkway or street tree, it usually belongs to the city. In Los Angeles, report it through 311.
Most Southern California cities offer bulky item pickup for things like furniture. The catch is timing. After a big wind event, everyone books at once, and you may wait a while for a slot. Bulky pickup programs also usually won’t take construction debris like fence posts set in concrete, roofing, or demolished structures. For more on how the two options compare, see our guide on bulky item pickup vs. junk removal.
A junk removal crew makes sense when the cleanup is too big, too heavy, or too mixed for the curb. Common wind storm jobs we see include:
A good crew will sort the load so green waste goes to composting, metal goes to scrap recycling, and usable items get donated when possible. That’s how we work at 911 Junk CA. You can read more about it in how we recycle and donate.
Junk removal is usually priced by how much space your debris takes up in the truck, plus weight for heavy material like wet wood or concrete footings. A few bags of fronds costs far less than a whole collapsed shed. The best way to get a real number is a free quote. You’ll know the price before any work starts.
Santa Ana season usually runs from fall into winter, so one storm is rarely the last. A little prep now saves a lot of cleanup later:
Wind storm cleanup is hard, dirty work, and it usually lands on a week when you have a hundred other things to deal with. 911 Junk CA hauls storm debris, broken fencing, damaged sheds, and ruined outdoor furniture across Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. We do the lifting, loading, and sorting so you don’t have to. Contact 911 Junk CA today for a free quote and get your yard back to normal.
Service Areas