Tree Trimming to Clear Power Lines

GWP Does NOT Offer General Tree Trimming Services

Please note GWP does not offer general tree trimming and/or landscaping services. Our tree trimming service is available only for clearing trees away from power lines .

GWP Will Clear Trees From Power Lines

GWP's line clearance tree trimming program trims and removes trees from power lines in accordance with mandates of California State laws, rules, and regulations to provide safe and reliable electric service to our customers. Our trained and licensed professional line clearance tree-trimming company whose crews perform the work as specified by GWP. Currently, West Coast Arborists, Inc. is the contractor performing this work.

GWP has trained professional line clearance tree inspectors who identify all trees that need trimming within our service area. The same inspectors check all trees trimmed by the contractor to insure that our standards have been met. Contractors hired by GWP will carry identification badges, and their vehicles will have their logos in addition to their company name. If you have questions about the work being done in your neighborhood, call the GWP tree division office at (818) 550-4584.

GWP has identified over 31,300 trees to date that have a potential to impact the power lines.

Emergency Situations

It is not uncommon for trees to fall during high winds, rain, and other stormy conditions. If a tree or limb falls into power lines, stay away from the line; do not remove or touch it. Call GWP's 24-hour emergency number, (818) 548-2011, immediately.

Remember to look up and look out for power lines when you are outdoors. Coming into contact with power lines can seriously injure you, sometimes fatally.

Prevent the Problem at it's Root

Planted in the right place, a tree can add beauty and value to your home and make your community a nicer place to live. In the summer, trees shade your house from the sun and reduce the temperature indoors. In the winter, trees act as windbreakers, shielding your home from cold winter winds.

However, if planted under or near power lines, trees can also be a deadly hazard. Children and adults playing or working in trees that come in contact with power lines can be seriously or even fatally shocked. Trees that grow into power lines can also cause unnecessary power outages.

Using common sense and the right tree, you can enjoy the beauty and value of a tree without having to worry about the dangers posed when a tree is located near power lines.

Before You Plant

Before you plant a tree, make sure the location is out of the way of overhead and underground utilities.

For help locating underground lines in your area, call 811 at least 48 hours before you dig. As a rule of thumb, do not plant trees or shrubs that will be 25 feet tall or higher and whose trunks and branches will reach within ten feet of power lines when fully grown.

Know The Right and Wrong Trees to Plant Under Power Lines

Among the worst trees to plant near power lines are also some of the trees most commonly associated with Southern California including Palm, Eucalyptus, Ash, Elm, Mulberry, Silk Oak and Avocado trees.

Palm trees cause a lot of GWP's vegetation-related outages every year. Tinder-dry palm fronds fall during high winds and strike power lines. The fronds may catch fire which can then ignite wood roof shingles, dry fields, and other flammable materials on which they land. Because of their height and aerodynamic shape, the fronds can cause fires and outages many blocks away from where the palm tree is located.

See our comprehensive list of trees which are recommended near power lines.

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