AURORA, Colo. — High winds have toppled trees and dropped branches across Colorado's Front Range and eastern plains Friday afternoon.
Winds have been incredibly fierce, gusting up to 73 mph at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora and regularly gusting above 50 mph around much of the state.
Denver Parks & Recreation (DPR) said residents need to be cautious when handling fallen trees and branches. Wind gusts can cause limbs to break and fall at any time, especially those already damaged or hanging.
DPR said property owners should check to make sure trees are safe and clear of all utility lines and to never attempt to move limbs or a tree if a utility line is touching the tree or is within contact distance.
During high wind events, climbing a tree or using a ladder to reach higher limbs can be dangerous.
DPR said that in the city, property owners are responsible for downed trees and branches on their private property and within the adjacent public right-of-way.
Fallen trees and branches in public area such as parks and roadways can be reported to 311 in Denver.
Fallen power lines should be reported immediately to Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-1999 and, if a power line is touching any object, 911 should be called immediately.
Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will collect a limited number of branches as part of its regular extra trash collection service to residents.
DPR said branches must must be no larger than four inches in diameter, and they must be cut into lengths of four feet or less, bundled and tied, and weigh no more than 50 pounds. Customers may set out up to 10 bundles of branches on their large item pickup day.
Denver residents can also drop off branches at the Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off Center near East Cherry Creek Drive South and South Quebec Street.
Red Flag Warnings and High Wind Warnings are in effect for the Front Range foothills, Urban Corridor and all of Eastern Colorado until late Friday.
Blustery winds combined with unseasonably warm temperatures created extreme fire danger across much of Colorado.
The temperature at Denver International Airport (DIA) rose to 89 degrees Friday afternoon to set a record high for April 22. The previous record high was 88 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 1989, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
On top of that, the high of 89 degrees in Denver made it the hottest April temperature in the city since 1992, and it also tied for Denver's second-hottest April temperature on record.
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