re: Anyone know what happens to most of the branches and downed trees from a storm?

I've worked a couple of storms in the past and on those, FEMA/EPA/locals would set up in a big field to handle tree debris. All the dumptrucks would dump the debris in giant arse piles. FEMA's people would track the number of trips each dump truck made for reimbursement, the EPA folks would make sure there was no hazardous waste coming into the site (that went elsewhere), and there was a crew of contractors running heavy equipment feeding a ginormous incinerator.

I do not know if that's the MO for every storm or if that's something they used to do and no longer do. I'd imagine that in some areas, incinerators would be right the frick out, too. It's just what I saw when my work still involved that kind of stuff.