Emergency services kept busy as hot weather downs trees
Hot weather has caused stressed trees to drop limbs, damaging property across South Australia and injuring one person so far this summer.
This past week's hot temperatures across South Australia have kept emergency services on high alert, but not just for the things people expect over the summer.
While some are focusing on the risk of bushfires and heat stroke — arborists and State Emergency Service teams have responded to trees that have fallen over or dropped limbs due to stress from the heat.
Anthony Daelman-Whitaker says people should avoid spending time underneath trees on particularly hot days. (ABC News: Duncan Bailey)
December 18 was the hottest day this month across SA, with Port Lincoln reaching a maximum of 42.7 degrees Celsius.
The Bureau of Meteorology showed Renmark reached 43.5C, while Port Pirie recorded 42.9C and Mount Gambier had a maximum of 38.9C, all the hottest days for December.
SA SES Eyre district officer Anthony Daelman-Whitaker said crews in Tumby Bay have responded to three tree-related incidents this summer already.
"Right across the state we are seeing trees down on houses [and] cars — recently there was even a tree down at a market where someone was injured," he said.
Heat increases risk
Harry Taylor has also noticed work at his business — Tree Removal Adelaide — has picked up this past week.
"It's increasing now, getting into summer with the heat and everything," he said.
"Call-outs for heat stress and sudden limb drops are getting up there again."
Harry Taylor says he has been kept busy with call outs over the past week. (ABC News)
Mr Taylor said people are more aware of the risks that trees pose, especially after a 22-year-old woman was killed by a gum tree branch which fell on her in February 2024.
He added that drought conditions over the last few years have also put a lot of stress on trees right across the state.
"[When] they've had exposure to a lot of heat and lack of moisture, they'll have heat stress, and that's when they're sort of self-prune themselves," Mr Taylor said.
"That's the term where they drop branches to sustain [themselves], but they can also just have sudden limb failures even if they're fully healthy."