Let’s Keep Trees Away From Power Lines  

Trees, shrubs and other vegetation can create safety hazards and power outages if they grow too close to power lines. To help keep communities safe, SCE regularly trims or removes trees that are dead, dying, diseased or growing into or near power lines. SCE provides this work at no cost to customers.

Every year, SCE inspects 1.6 million trees that might pose a hazard to power lines across its 50,000-square-mile service area. More than 740,000 of these are in high fire risk areas.

State and Federal regulations require utilities to trim trees or vegetation that could cause an outage, spark a fire or put the public at risk. Tree maintenance is part of the SCE Wildfire Mitigation Plan.

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SCE offers a free “makesafe” program. Through this program, SCE crews will assess and remove parts of trees to a level that allows other workers to remove or prune the rest of the tree safely. This includes treating stumps after a tree removal.

Please Note: SCE’s responsibility is public safety and the reliability of electric facilities. SCE trims only the parts of a tree that may impact the power lines. Crews follow national standards designed to protect the tree’s health. Trimming is focused on safety and power-line clearance, not appearance.  

A printable brochure, Right Tree, Right Place, offers safety tips and a recommended list of utility-friendly tree species for planting. If you’re planting a new tree or vegetation, consider its placement and whether it can create an issue in 10 or 20 years. 
 

Contact Us About Trees and Vegetation Near Power Lines  

• Questions about vegetation near SCE lines: 1‑800‑655‑4555
• Report an object caught in power lines: 1-800-611-1911
• Report an outage: 1-800-611-1911
• Before you dig, call 811
• For an electrical emergency, call 911  
   

Brush removal near SCE poles is required and helps keep communities safe  

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Not all electrical poles or towers require vegetation clearance. Regulations require SCE to maintain bare-soil vegetation clearances at the base of certain poles and towers in CAL FIRE’s State Responsibility Area (SRA). Additionally, SCE strives to maintain vegetation clearances at the base of poles and towers for inspection and maintenance purposes.

• Customers will receive an informational door hanger from an SCE-approved contractor about necessary brush removal activities on their property.  
• SCE-approved contractors will inspect the base of the pole or tower and take pictures of it.  
• When required, SCE-approved contractors will remove brush within a 10‑foot radius and up to 8 feet high around the pole or tower. The contractor may seek customer consent to remove and clear all vegetation to bare soil.  
• In certain high fire risk areas, SCE-approved contractors may revisit the pole or tower a second time in the year to inspect for any vegetation regrowth.  
• All brush removal work is provided at no cost to the customer.