Safe trees near lines

AFTER a couple of electric shock close calls with members of the public in recent times and the gardening season now here, Ergon Energy Network is urging people not to plant tall trees or bamboo near powerlines.

According to Ergon Area Manager Matt Hilder, tall vegetation near powerlines is one of the primary causes of outages in Queensland and could easily be avoided if people planted appropriate species in their yards.

“Fast-growing plants like bamboo can quickly shoot up to 20 metres in no time and the wrong species of tree can cause serious safety risks when planted under, or too close to powerlines,” Mr Hilder said.