PG and E’s tree trimming program, adopted four years ago, to reduce wildfire risk and liability near its power lines, is being phased out as ineffective. That’s according a report in the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by the utility. They will still continue with a backlog of around 385-thousand trees, which is expected to take about nine years to complete. And they’ll also continue to inspect trees near lines for hazards twice a year. Nevada City’s Vice-Mayor Gary Peterson is not surprised. He says the program has been a fiasco…

click to listen to Gary Peterson

There was also a four-day tree sitting incident in November of 2020. PG and E says the program has reduced wildfire ignitions by seven-percent. Meanwhile, they will continue to implement their Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings program, which, they say, has reduced ignitions by 68-percent…

click to listen to Gary Peterson

PG and E will also to continue to prioritize burying one-third of its overhead power lines in high-risk areas, including in Western Nevada County. They say that will reduce iginitions by 99-percent. That’s around 10-thousand miles over ten years. But Peterson says the timetable is too slow. PG and E declined a recorded interview.