According to recent reports, a federal judge is considering ordering California utility company Pacific Gas & Electric to hire more tree trimmers in order to reduce the risk of future California fires.

PG&E Failing to Comply with Tree Trimming Regulations

U.S District Judge William Alsup has ordered Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to explain why the utility provider is failing to remove dry brush and trees from areas where the vegetation could be fuel for faulty electrical equipment to spark wildfires.

The written decision from Alsup stated that the judge was considering compelling PG&E to hire additional crews and equipment in order to inspect, trim, and remove all dangerous vegetation from areas deemed to be at risk of wildfires. The removal of additional vegetation would bring the company into compliance with California law, along with PG&E’s own plans for mitigating future fires.

The day prior to Alsup’s order, PG&E turned a report into the judge explaining that despite the company’s attempts to complete a massive tree trimming project, more than 22,000 trees that are hazardous or too close to electrical equipment remain untrimmed. Despite completing work on over a million trees, the company has still failed to come into compliance with state tree trimming mandates.

Even the work that was completed by PG&E fell short. Despite the company’s aim to have at least 92 percent of the tree trimming work completed meet quality expectations, only about 60 percent of the work passed review. According to PG&E, the company’s widespread service area, spanning 100,000 miles of power lines, makes reaching perfect compliance extremely difficult or impossible.

Background on PG&E and California Fires

Wildfires caused by PG&E over the past several years have resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes and buildings, as well as in the deaths of dozens of people. In 2018, the Camp Fire, which is believed to have been ignited by stray sparks from PG&E electrical equipment, burned through the town of Paradise, killing 85 people and displacing hundreds more. Around 90 percent of the town’s population was displaced by the blaze.

According to a California Public Utilities Commission investigation commissioned after the fire, PG&E violated 12 state safety rules during the time leading up to the wildfire. Among these violations were a failure to conduct climbing inspections to ensure that equipment was functioning properly and in a state of repair, and failure to correctly prioritize safety hazards.

In addition to injuries, deaths, and displacement, California fires have also resulted in massive property damage, as well as damage to natural vegetation and landscaping.

Homeowners who lost their homes or other buildings due to California fires may be eligible to hire a qualified attorney and pursue compensation for these losses. Damage to homes, garages, outbuildings, fencing, landscaping, natural vegetation, and soil may all qualify California residents to pursue compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.