Tree trimming is a key part of network maintenance

Dan Kansky from the networks' vegetation management team said no electricity network is immune to the impacts of severe weather, but Ergon does all it can to minimise damage caused by vegetation.

“Trimming trees near powerlines is essential for the safety and reliability of the community’s electricity supply,” Mr Kansky said.

“Vegetation management is a key part of protecting our network, which is why we have tree trimming crews out and about across Queensland, and with more than 170,000 kilometres of overhead powerlines across the state they cover a lot of ground.

“While we do a lot of work to reduce the risk of network damage from vegetation and other debris, we cannot eliminate it altogether.”

Mr Kansky said that in some cases individual trees needed to be removed when there’s a risk of them toppling over and bringing down powerlines.

“Where we identify trees that pose a life-threatening hazard or could lead to prolonged outages, we will remove them.

“We use experienced vegetation management teams, including qualified arborists when more intricate jobs are undertaken.

“Trimming trees near powerlines is a job for professionals – don’t do it yourself!” he warned.

Mr Kansky also asked people who were cutting back trees or large plants on their property to make sure they disposed of the waste.

“Piles of branches and vegetation are potential missiles that can also become stuck in powerlines, causing electricity interruptions or bringing powerlines down.

“So, start your vegetation management preparations by taking a walk around your property and getting rid of these and any other loose items in the yard,” he said.