Tree clearing for power line and gas line maintenance program

Our tree clearing for powerline and gas line maintenance program helps prevent safety hazards and outages from trees and other vegetation coming into contact with our gas and electricity equipment. Our crews trim trees and other vegetation, and occasionally cut down hazardous trees that pose a risk.

Potential hazards of trees near utility lines

Trees falling on or touching power lines: this can cause power outages: every year, trees that touch or fall on power lines in our service area cause more than 100,000 hours of electricity outage time.
Trees or shrubs coming into contact with gas lines: Trees obstruct visibility of gas lines from the air and interfere with patrols. In addition, they can damage the gas line's protective coating, may act as a conduit for lighting and can disrupt the gas line if the tree is uprooted. Trees planted overtop of gas lines also prevent access in the event that we need to repair or inspect the line.
Trees or shrubs growing near padmounted transformers: roots can damage the underground cables of padmounted transformers and cause a safety hazard, and branches can prevent technicians from accessing the equipment safely.

Sometimes trees and shrubs need to be trimmed, and other times they need to be cut down. This work is done to industry and regulatory standards and it is paid for through electricity and gas rates that our customers pay.

You can prevent safety hazards, and prevent having your trees cut down, by planting safely near utility lines.

Our tree and brush clearing program

Our vegetation management program includes tree trimming, hazard tree identification and removal, manual brush cutting, mechanical brush control, herbicide use and encouraging property owners to plant safely. FortisBC has procedures in place to promote compliance with applicable federal, provincial and local government legislation and regulations.

We remove or trim trees that are too close to transmission and distribution power lines, but property owners are responsible for maintaining trees near secondary power lines serving their premises. Here’s what you need to know:

Trees growing too close to a power line or gas line need to be trimmed. You can hire a certified utility arborist to trim trees away from lines before we’re required to trim to maintain safety and reliability. You should never attempt to prune trees near power lines yourself. Serious injuries and even fatalities can happen when untrained individuals attempt to do this work. When having your trees pruned or removed, you can arrange to have your power service temporarily disconnected or wires temporarily removed by calling us at 1-866-436-7847. In most cases, there is no charge for this service.

Clearing near gas lines: We remove trees within rights of way of our gas lines. Trimming trees around gas lines should only be attempted by trained and qualified professionals. Serious injuries and even fatalities can occur when untrained individuals attempt to do this work themselves.

Determining if a tree needs trimming or if it must be cut down: If a tree’s branches are within the clearance limits of our distribution powerline lines, our contractors will trim them, and they will ensure the tree doesn’t need to be trimmed again for at least five years. When trees within limits of our equipment are dead, in decline, or have structural weakness or uprooting issues, they are identified as hazard trees and removed.

Notifying property owners prior to trimming or removing trees/bushes: We do not provide notification for routine trimming or vegetation maintenance activities. Our contractors are obligated to get this important work done in the most efficient, cost-effective way to keep the community safe while managing potential rate impacts for all customers.

Wood debris from trees our contractors have cut down: The wood and debris belong to the property owner and will be left on the property. Our customers pay for the cost of cutting down hazardous trees to keep our system safe through the rates they pay. Removal and disposal of wood debris is not included. Additionally, many property owners wish to use the wood from their felled tree. In some cases we attempt to notify customers for hazard tree removals but if we are unable to reach the homeowner we still need to cut the hazardous tree.

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Electricity outages

Tree clearing for power line and gas line maintenance program

Potential hazards of trees near utility lines

Our tree and brush clearing program

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