After the June 8, 2026 windstorm, the City of Salina ran a citywide limb pickup, and thousands of residents used it. This page explains how that program worked, what it did not cover and what to do about the trees and limbs it could not help with. The details below describe June 2026. If you are reading this after a newer storm, rules and fees may have changed, so confirm the current details with the city before you stack anything.
What the City of Salina did after the June 8, 2026 windstorm
The windstorm produced a 113 mph gust at Salina Airport and left about 35,000 Saline County residents without power. The city announced a citywide limb pickup the next day, and Public Works crews began work on June 15. Crews focused on residential areas and went first to the areas with the most significant damage. The city was divided into six zones so crews could work through it in an organized way.
How the free curbside limb pickup worked
According to the city’s announcement, reprinted by Salina311, residents were asked to follow a few simple rules:
- Stack limbs neatly at the curb on your own property.
- Keep limbs no longer than 10 feet.
- Do not block the pile with vehicles.
- Do not mix other debris or waste into the limb pile.
- Only limbs and vegetation placed at the curb were eligible for free city pickup.
What the program did not cover
The city said it would not collect limbs from private properties, private streets, alleys or commercial properties. The program also moved limbs that were already cut and stacked. It was not tree removal. A tree that was still standing, cracked, leaning or hanging over a roof was not something curbside pickup could fix, and neither was a trunk too heavy to stack.
That gap is where tree service comes in. See storm debris cleanup in Salina KS for limbs and brush and tree removal in Salina KS for trees that have to come down.
Getting limbs removed sooner
Residents who did not want to wait for their zone could call the city’s General Services office at (785) 309-5750 to schedule a special pickup for the standard removal fee, according to the same announcement. The city also opened the Salina Municipal Landfill to residential limbs. Check with the city for the current phone number and fee, because both can change.
What the cleanup added up to
By late August, local radio station KSAL reported that the city had finished the residential limb pickup. Since the storm, Public Works crews had hauled more than 4,500 dump truck loads of limbs from residential properties, and the landfill had received more than 10,518 tons of yard waste. Those numbers give a sense of how much came down in one night.
If you live outside the city of Salina
The announcement above applied to the City of Salina. Residents of Smolan, Assaria, Gypsum, Lindsborg and rural properties around them should check with their own city hall or county for what applied in their area, since each community handles storm debris on its own. See tree service near Salina KS for the towns we serve.
City trees and the long road to replanting
The public side of the recovery is still going. At an August 19 meeting, city staff said forestry crews had done limb cleanup through July and that a contractor had finished tree removals. They also said recovery from the storm losses will take years, as reported by Salina311. The city cemetery lost about 44 trees, and Thomas Park was among the hardest hit. The city plants only about 8 to 12 trees a year, hot dry summers make watering difficult and demand for replacement trees is higher than supply.
All of that applies to trees on city property. Trees on private property are the owner’s responsibility, and many of them were damaged too.
What the city program means for your property
- Curbside pickup moves cut limbs. It does not make a damaged tree safe.
- A tree with a cracked trunk, lifted roots or a new lean should be looked at before the next storm. See hazardous tree assessment in Salina KS.
- A limb length limit such as 10 feet affects what can go to the curb. Ask any crew you hire whether they will cut and stack to the city’s requirements while a program is running.
- Trees in alleys and on private streets were outside the program, so those piles stayed the owner’s job.
What to do after the next storm
- Make safety your first step. Stay away from downed lines and call 911 and the electric utility. See emergency tree service in Salina KS.
- Take photos of the damage before anything is moved, and call your insurer early.
- Check with the City of Salina on whether a limb pickup is running, where to stack and what the rules are. Do not assume the June 2026 rules will repeat.
- Separate loose limbs from damaged standing trees. The first may be a curb job. The second needs a professional.
- Get a written scope and proof of insurance before any crew starts, and be wary of door-to-door storm chasers.
Prepare before the next storm
- Tree check checklist for Salina KS homeowners (printable)
- Tree service FAQ for Salina KS
- Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal in Salina KS?
- What to do when a tree falls on your house in Salina KS
Where tree service fits in
If the city program covered your loose limbs but you still have a damaged or dangerous tree, or you missed the program entirely, a tree service can handle the rest. For a sense of what that work costs, see the tree removal cost guide for Salina KS. For a real price on your property, request a free tree service quote in Salina KS.