Deadline nears for PG&E’S offer to remove trees cut for safety

In response to customer and community requests, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) listened and continues to reach out to landowners in Trinity and Mendocino Counties to gather and haul away wood that was cut down by PG&E and contractors following the August Complex Fire and Oak Fire in 2020.

The deadline for landowners to submit permission forms to authorize PG&E to do this work is Aug. 24, 2021.

After the fires, PG&E crews and contract vegetation management crews worked to restore power safely and quickly to customers. This included inspecting and cutting down hazardous trees that posed a potential safety risk to work crews or electric equipment. This work was done in coordination with CAL FIRE and other agencies responding to the wildfires.

After completing tree work, crews chipped wood that was less than four inches in diameter and spread the chips onsite, where possible. Because wood is considered the property of the landowner, any wood larger than four inches in diameter was left onsite. There is no legal or regulatory requirement to remove large-diameter wood, since it is the property of the landowner.

Crews have been returning to those sites, contacting and working directly with landowners who have wood that qualifies for the program to ask if they would allow PG&E to dispose of the large-diameter wood that was cut down for safety.

Landowners who are interested in the Wood Management Program and have safely accessible wood from trees that PG&E felled, should call 1-877-295-4949 or email wildfiresafety@ pge.com.

The goal is to complete wood removal by the end of summer. PG&E contractor crews who will be performing the wood removal will carry identification and provide it upon request.