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Saturated ground causing trees to fall across the Carolinas

Heartwood Tree Service told NBC Charlotte they sent additional crews to the Asheville area to respond to all the calls.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- From the Piedmont all the way to Western Carolina, trees are falling at a rapid rate.

Heartwood Tree Service told NBC Charlotte they sent additional crews to the Asheville area to respond to all the calls.

Charlotte City Arborist, Tim Porter, says more trees have fallen in the last four years because Charlotte has "an aging canopy crisis."

It's a problem that persists in Charlotte and it's surrounding areas.

On Monday in Polk County, WYFF photographer Aaron Smeltzer and reporter-anchor Mike McCormick both tragically died after a tree fell on their car.

Porter says a tree can come down in a matter of seconds without any warning signs.

"Sometimes it's just a gust of wind and that's when it happens," he said.

However, there are three things you can look for around your yard that are tell-tale signs that it's time for an arborist to come out and investigate.

Nicole Benjamin with Heartwood Tree Service offered three pieces of advice:

  1. Look for leaves. "Summer comes and maybe your tree doesn't have any leaves, probably a good sign it's not coming back," said Benjamin.
  2. Mushroom usually spell trouble, especially at the base of a tree.
  3. If a limb falls, it doesn't necessarily mean your entire tree is dead but it's a good idea to get it checked out.

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