DeForest Tree Service warns about the risks of a quiet hurricane season while announcing an expanded emergency response operation built around advanced crane technology for high-risk tree removal across Virginia Beach and the surrounding South Hampton Roads region. The family-owned company reports that the expansion addresses leaning, uprooted, and entangled trees in tight spaces near homes, power lines, and other structures following nor'easters, high winds, and severe weather.
The announcement arrives as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season ranks among the quietest since 1966, with the basin producing zero hurricanes through early October and going roughly 330 days without a named hurricane. The company notes that the season officially runs through November 30, and that the calm has not translated into calm weather for the region.
Severe thunderstorms in August knocked out power for approximately 140,000 local customers and brought down trees and limbs across neighborhoods in Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach. Forecasters report that Gulf of Mexico water temperatures remain the warmest on record dating back to 1982, a factor that can fuel rapid late-season storm development.
The expanded DeForest Tree Service emergency response relies on crane-assisted methods to extract hazardous trees from confined residential spaces while minimizing damage to surrounding landscapes. The company reports that this approach is often necessary for storm damage tree removal in Virginia Beach, where mature trees positioned near homes, driveways, and utility lines frequently cannot be removed through traditional methods.
The company also points to financial considerations tied to fallen trees. Virginia is one of 19 states that permit percentage-based hurricane deductibles, which can turn a single tree strike into an out-of-pocket cost of around 8,000 dollars for affected homeowners. Most homeowners' policies cover a fallen tree only when it damages a covered structure, leaving gaps that many residents do not discover until after an event.
"A calm radar screen does not mean the threat has passed," said Brandon DeForest, owner of DeForest Tree Service. "The storms that caused damage this summer were not hurricanes, and the warmest Gulf waters on record mean conditions can change quickly through November. Expanding the emergency response allows crews to reach hazardous trees in tight spaces before and after a storm, rather than families waiting until a tree has already come down."
The company advises homeowners to inspect their property for leaning trees, dead limbs, and compromised root systems, and to review the declarations page of their insurance policy to understand deductible structures before the next storm arrives. DeForest Tree Service reports steady demand for large tree removal as property owners address mature trees that pose risks to structures and utility lines.
"Homeowners frequently wait until a tree is already a problem," DeForest added. "A professional assessment can identify risks that are not obvious from the ground, and the expanded crane operation gives crews the ability to handle complex removals safely in confined residential areas."
DeForest Tree Service provides professional assessments for residents throughout the surrounding communities as the region enters the final weeks of the 2026 hurricane season. Additional analysis of the season is available through the company blog.
DeForest Tree Service is a family-owned, Virginia Beach-based arborist company serving residential and commercial clients across South Hampton Roads. The company specializes in precision and high-risk tree removal, stump removal, tree trimming and pruning, crane-assisted tree removal, bucket truck services, and 24-hour emergency storm clean-up. DeForest Tree Service is licensed and insured and operates on a 24/7 basis.
###
For more information about DeForest Tree Service, contact the company here:
DeForest Tree Service
Brandon DeForest
(757) 553-1864
deforesttrees@gmail.com
3764 North Landing Rd
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
