Updated October 15, 2026. Debris rules change every few days. Use the links below to check your county before you put anything at the curb.
Navarre and Santa Rosa Beach both took the hit from Hurricane Isaias, but they sit in different counties, and that decides what happens to your tree debris. Navarre is in Santa Rosa County. Santa Rosa Beach and the 30A communities are in Walton County. Each county is running its own cleanup under its own rules.
The Navarre Press reported that the storm rolled through Navarre around 7 p.m. on Friday, October 9, with winds over 100 mph, snapped trees, downed power lines and a tree lying across a home on Church Street. News4Jax reported gusts up to 116 mph near Santa Rosa Sound. Walton County's emergency management director put the county's debris estimate at 250,000 cubic yards, per WJHG.
Navarre and Santa Rosa County: the contractor hauls it
Santa Rosa County's storm update is direct about this:
"If you hire a contractor to cut or remove fallen trees, the contractor is responsible for hauling away all debris. Debris from contractor-performed work should not be placed on the right-of-way for county debris pickup."
The county's own pickup started October 14. The Santa Rosa Press Gazette reports that officials expect four to six weeks, with most county roads getting about three passes and some getting up to five. That pickup is for debris residents put out themselves. According to WEAR, the county asks you to keep vegetative debris (limbs, branches) separate from construction debris such as fencing and sheds, leave it unbagged, and keep it clear of drains, mailboxes, water meters, hydrants and power lines.
The Press Gazette also quotes an assistant county administrator saying the county has seen a slight increase in 911 calls for injuries from chainsaws and falling limbs. Leave anything big, anything over a roof or anything near a line to a crew.
What this means in Navarre. If you hire Josh, the wood has to leave with the crew, not go out for the county trucks. On big jobs Josh arranges haul-off through a sub, quoted per job. On a smaller job, ask him before work starts exactly how your debris will leave, and get the answer in writing. Do not stack contractor-cut wood at the curb and assume it will vanish.
Santa Rosa Beach and 30A (Walton County): private roads are covered
Walton County's pickup began October 14. WJHG reports that crews make multiple passes on each road, and that bagged debris may be skipped because the trucks use grapples. The county's board summary says commissioners approved amending the debris contract to remove storm debris from public and private neighborhoods. That matters for any 30A neighborhood with private streets.
The Walton notices we read do not spell out how debris from a hired tree crew is handled. So ask before you count on it. Josh cuts the tree and moves the debris to the road. On big jobs he can bring in a sub to haul it away, quoted per job. If you want haul-off, say so when you call.
How a tree comes down on a tight lot
When a tree stands close to a house, a pool cage, a fence or a car, a climber goes up and takes the tree apart in sections, working from the outer limbs in toward the trunk, and each piece is lowered on rigging lines instead of dropped. That is how the crew works near roofs and screens in Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach and Destin, and it is how we work in Navarre.
Three things to ask before you hire anyone
- Where does the wood go? In Santa Rosa County it has to leave with the contractor. In Walton, ask. Get it in writing.
- Is the quote written, and does it name the trees and the work? See our checklist for telling a storm chaser from a legit tree service.
- If a tree is on your house, is anyone hurt or are wires involved? Call 911 for injuries, gas or fire, and your utility for any wire. Then read what to do when a tree falls on your house.
Our Isaias debris pickup guide has the source link for every county and city rule, and our Destin storm cleanup page covers what we are doing on the Emerald Coast right now.
FAQ
Does Santa Rosa County pick up debris from a tree service?
The county's update says the contractor is responsible for hauling away all debris from work it performs, and that this debris should not go on the right-of-way for county pickup.
Does Walton County pick up tree debris on private roads?
Commissioners approved amending the debris contract to remove storm debris from public and private neighborhoods. The notices we read do not say how contractor-cut debris is handled, so confirm that before you count on it.
Does Reed Tree Service work in Navarre and Santa Rosa Beach?
Our storm cleanup page lists both. The crew is working the Emerald Coast through late October, so call Josh with your address and he will tell you what timing is realistic.
Should I bag my limbs?
No. Santa Rosa County asks for loose debris, and Walton officials said their trucks use grapples and may skip bagged debris.
Storm damage in Navarre, Santa Rosa Beach or anywhere along 30A: call Josh at (850) 888-5603.