
The City of Denver says to get on out there and break these down to four-foot, four-inch-diameter pieces.
Kyle Wagner
Meanwhile, the question of what we’re going to do about what is estimated to be hundreds of downed trees and branches all over the city has yet to be adequately answered, because — not surprisingly — no one is available to take your call at the Office of the City Forester right now. Their auto-response email message says that they, like everyone else, are “currently short staffed.”

My heroes from Denver's Engine 8, left to right: Dominic Odom, Jesse Franklin, Lane Walter and Shawn Steinbrecher.
Kyle Wagner
If the tree is on your property or sidewalk, you are responsible for breaking it down and removing it, Ashley says. Denver Waste Management will pick up single pieces no longer than four feet and no more than four inches in diameter; if there’s more than one piece of that size or smaller, they must be bundled and tied together, and the bundle cannot weigh more than fifty pounds. “I’m guessing they will tell us about more help with the trees from this storm, because there’s obviously a lot,” Ashley says, adding that the Office of the Forester likely will announce a plan to come around and help with pickup, as well.
In the meantime, you can move trees and branches that are not on your property or sidewalk but are blocking streets, but only if you can do so easily and safely — and if not, call the Office of the Forester at 720-913-0651. Otherwise, you can always hope that the team from Engine 8 is nearby.