Why We Trim Trees Near Power Lines: Protecting Safety, Preventing Outages, and Reducing Wildfire Risk
At Clallam PUD, our top priorities are safety, service reliability, and protecting our community. As part of our ongoing efforts to keep your power on and your neighborhood safe, we perform regular vegetation management—including trimming and removing trees and brush near power lines.
We understand that seeing trees trimmed or removed can be upsetting. Trees are an important part of our environment and community. However, this work is not only necessary—it’s critical. Here’s why:
1. Keeping the Power On
Trees are one of the leading causes of power outages. When branches or whole trees fall into power lines—especially during storms—they can knock out electricity to homes, schools, businesses, and critical functions like healthcare and emergency response. Trimming helps ensure that limbs don’t come into contact with lines, especially during high winds or heavy snow.
2. Preventing Wildfires
In our region, the risk of wildfires is real—and growing. Vegetation that comes too close to energized lines can ignite fires that spread rapidly. Our vegetation management efforts are a key part of wildfire prevention strategies, and in some areas, this work is mandated by state or federal regulations.
3. Keeping Communities Safe
Downed power lines caused by tree contact can be extremely dangerous—even deadly. By maintaining safe distances between trees and lines, we reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, and other serious hazards.
4. Meeting Safety Standards and Regulations
We follow industry best practices and comply with all safety regulations, including those set by the Washington State fire authorities. Our trained crews use careful planning to ensure that trimming is done responsibly and in a way that promotes the health of remaining vegetation.
Working with Our Community
We know tree trimming can impact the look and feel of your property and neighborhoods. That’s why we:
- Work with property owners in advance when work is planned, unless the work is performed in a public Right of Way
- Use journey level tree trimmer professionals
- Aim to preserve healthy trees where possible
- Are available to answer questions and listen to concerns
We have roughly 2,000 miles of overhead lines, with a goal to manage them on a 5-year cycle. That is 400 miles of vegetation management every year in a tight window of mid-spring to late fall (before the storm season). All this is achieved by two (3-person) extremely hardworking crews! The same crews respond to reports of dead, danger trees (which are out of cycle) and help the line crews to clear and prepare the work site for construction projects. We are working towards gradually building capacity, while staying mindful of its rate impact to our customers. We appreciate your understanding and support as we carry out this essential work. Together, we can maintain a safer, more reliable, and more resilient electric system.
If you have questions about our vegetation management program or want to learn more, please visit www.clallampud.net or call customer service at 360-452-9771. The direct link to our electrical safety (in regards to landscaping) page can be found here.
Thank you for helping us protect your power—and your community.