Lindale, Smith County
Tree Service in Lindale, TX
After the 2026 tornado that uprooted a large oak in Woodcrest, Lindale knows what a bad storm can do to a tree.
A fast-growing town north of Tyler
Lindale sits in Smith County, about 10 to 14 miles north of Tyler on US-69. The town has grown quickly, from just under 3,000 residents in the 2000 Census to over 6,000 by 2020, and that growth means a mix of older shade trees on established lots and newer subdivisions where trees are still young and less storm-hardy.
A tornado that took down a large oak
Lindale has had direct, confirmed tornado damage. The National Weather Service confirmed a small but intense EF1 tornado hit Lindale on April 5, 2026, with winds near 97 mph, damaging roofs in the Woodcrest subdivision and uprooting a large oak tree. That kind of sudden, high-wind event can snap or uproot a tree with almost no warning, even one that looked healthy the day before.
Flash flooding is also a factor
Beyond wind, Lindale has been hit hard by flash flooding more than once. Smith County’s emergency management coordinator identified Lindale as the hardest-hit area during flash flooding in April 2025, with water rescues and road closures, and Highway 16 was closed at College Street during flash flooding again in July 2026. Saturated soil after flooding weakens root systems, which is one reason a tree can come down in the storm after the flood rather than during it.
No tree ordinance found for private property
Lindale’s code of ordinances doesn’t appear to include a tree-removal or heritage-tree rule for private property. The only tree-related provisions found cover planting approval in city parks and a ban on attaching signs to trees. If you’re clearing a larger tract, a call to city hall is still worth it to confirm nothing specific applies to your parcel.
What’s growing around Lindale
Like the rest of Smith County, Lindale sits in the Pineywoods, with pine, mostly loblolly, as the region’s most common forest type and a mix of oak, hickory and sweetgum filling out the hardwood side. A big, uprooted oak like the one from the 2026 tornado is a good example of how much weight and root spread these older hardwoods carry once they fail.
After a storm, in order
- Check for downed lines before you check for downed trees.
- Get people and pets clear of the area around any leaning tree.
- Photograph the damage for your insurer.
- Call for an assessment before deciding removal versus trimming.
Newer subdivisions, older shade
Lindale’s population growth has been fast enough that a lot of the town is newer construction, where street trees and yard trees are still small and haven’t built the deep root systems that help older trees survive a straight-line wind event. Older, established parts of town, and the rural lots just outside city limits, carry the bigger legacy oaks and pines, the kind that did the most damage when the Woodcrest oak came down in 2026. If you’re not sure whether a tree on your property is old enough to be a real hazard, a quick assessment is usually cheaper than waiting to find out during the next storm.
Trimming ahead of storm season
Because Lindale sees both tornado and flash-flood risk in the same calendar year, spring trimming to remove dead or overextended limbs before storm season picks up is common here, especially on trees that overhang a roof, driveway or the street. It’s a smaller job than a full removal and it’s the kind of maintenance that can keep a healthy tree from becoming next season’s emergency call.
Help available in Lindale
Common questions
What happened to trees in Lindale during the April 2026 tornado?
The National Weather Service confirmed a small but intense EF1 tornado hit Lindale on April 5, 2026, with winds near 97 miles per hour. It damaged roofs in the Woodcrest subdivision and uprooted a large oak tree.
Has flooding affected trees in Lindale?
Yes. Smith County's emergency management coordinator identified Lindale as the hardest-hit area during flash flooding in April 2025, with water rescues and road closures, and Highway 16 was closed at College Street during flash flooding again in July 2026. Saturated soil from flooding weakens root systems, which is one reason a tree can fail after a flood rather than during it.
Does Lindale have a tree-removal ordinance?
No tree-removal ordinance for private property was found in Lindale's code. The tree-related provisions that do exist cover planting in city parks and a ban on attaching signs to trees, nothing that governs removing a tree from your own yard.
What county is Lindale in?
Smith County, about 10 to 14 miles north of Tyler via US-69.
What kind of trees are common in Lindale?
Like the rest of Smith County, Lindale sits in the Pineywoods, with pine, mostly loblolly, as the region's most common forest type and oak, hickory and sweetgum filling out the hardwood side.