Story Title: Trees and Powerlines
Episode: Five
Date: November 1st 2009
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Trees near powerlines are a major safety hazard in our communities and we are all responsible for trees near powerlines on our property. To ensure our safety Trevor features some fantastic tips on how to keep your property and family safe.

Trevor’s Tips

• It’s vitally important you don’t allow your trees to come in contact with power lines at home. If you live in a hills area or leafy suburb the rule of thumb is to keep a minimum of a 2.5 metre clearance between branches and power lines so planting the right trees the right distance from wires is clever and reduces risk of blackouts or even fire.
• Whilst a lot of damage occurs when trees come into contact with power lines during winter, the risk in summer particularly in the hills areas and country areas is very serious as sparking wires can cause devastating fires.
• If you think your trees are growing too close to powerlines, always hire a professional to prune these trees because it is not safe to be too close to wires.
• Also professionals will remove branches in such a way that they encourage growth that will not be a problem in the immediate future.
• If you’re really not sure contact Western Power or act proactively and get a professional tree lopper to assess the risk and remove risky branches. They will do it the right way and do it safely. The Tree Guild has a list of members in your local community area.
• If you’re a Landlord, you need also to check the trees on your rental property.
• Some local WA native varieties such at the native Willow, Fuchsia Mallee and the Chenille Honey Myrtle and recommended varieties for planting near powerlines.

If you would like to learn about the clearance zones for your suburb, you can visit the Western Power website and enter your suburb details. You will also find a lot of helpful advice on the website about which plant varieties are suitable for planting near powerlines, as well as a list of recommended tree pruners.

Contact:
Western Power
Head Office - Location
363 Wellington Street, Perth, WA, 6000
www.westernpower.com.au/onespark

If you have questions about tree trimming;
Phone: 13 10 87
Email: vegetation.management@westernpower.com.au