PG&E Continues 2022 Wildfire Mitigation Work: Vegetation Management Efforts Underway in Areas at Highest Risk of Wildfires

Inspectors and Tree Crews Work to Protect Electric Equipment and Provide Safe Electricity for Customers and Hometowns

By Deanna Contreras

PG&E vegetation management crews and contractors across Northern and Central California communities are continuing work to maintain safe and reliable powerlines by pruning and cutting down trees in high fire-threat areas. PG&E teams are working closely with customers and communities in 2022 to complete this important safety work across 1,800 miles of overhead powerlines.

PG&E’s Enhanced Vegetation Management (EVM) Program focuses on vegetation that may pose a risk to overhead powerlines in Tier 2 and Tier 3 High Fire-Threat Districts (HFTD) as defined by the California Public Utilities Commission and builds on 2021 wildfire safety efforts. Hard-working crews exceeded the annual safety goal last year by addressing vegetation along 1,983 miles of powerlines. This year, crews are expected to prune or cut down more than 350,000 trees for safety and to reduce wildfire risk.

“This important safety work helps to protect our customers and hometowns and is one of many steps our company is taking to stop catastrophic wildfires,” said PG&E's Peter Kenny, senior vice president of vegetation management and system inspections. “With the wildfire risk continuing to grow across California and the West, we are working hard every day to make the electric system safer and more reliable.”

Customers across PG&E’s service area will see crews and contractors inspecting powerlines, marking trees, and preparing for necessary tree maintenance. Work is already underway to identify trees that need to be addressed in several counties.

Before performing tree work, PG&E will engage with our communities and customers to review the planned work via phone calls, postcards, door knocks and door hangers.

PG&E’s EVM work, developed to exceed state standards for minimum clearances and evaluate the condition of all trees and branches that are tall enough to strike powerlines, is part of the company’s 2022 Wildfire Mitigation Plan. As part of that plan,  PG&E also plans to underground at approximately 175 miles of powerlines this year. Our 10,000-mile Undergrounding Program, which is expected to put 3,600 miles of powerlines underground between 2022 and 2026, is the largest effort in the nation to underground powerlines as a wildfire risk reduction measure.

For more information on PG&E’s vegetation management programs, visit pge.com/trees or contact PG&E at (877) 295-4949 or wildfiresafety@pge.com.

Email Currents at Currents@pge.com