Who trims a tree near the power line to my house in BC?

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The owner keeps the service wires on their own land clear of trees, through a certified utility arborist; BC Hydro and FortisBC look after the trees near their own lines. Three kinds of line cross BC lots: transmission lines on steel towers, distribution lines on poles along the road, and the service line from the pole to the house. The utility looks after trees near its transmission and distribution lines; the owner looks after trees near the service wires on their own land. Look up the address or PID on PlaceDossier to see the record for that lot. The three lines: Transmission lines are thick and hang from tall steel structures; distribution lines run on poles about 10 m high; the service line is the bundle of wires or cables from the utility's pole to the connection at the house, as BC Hydro describes them. The wires to the house: BC Hydro says a property owner is responsible for keeping the service wires on their property clear of vegetation: branches rubbing on them wear through the weather coating and may damage the home's appliances. FortisBC says owners maintain the trees near the secondary power lines that serve their property. The utility's own lines: BC Hydro says it monitors trees near its lines through the year and removes or trims them when they become hazardous or too close. FortisBC trims or removes trees near its power and gas lines, gives no notice for routine trimming, and tries to tell an owner before it fells a hazard tree. A tree inside a transmission right of way: see power lines. Who should prune: BC Hydro asks owners to call a certified utility arborist for any vegetation near a transmission or distribution line, or within 3 m of the service line to the home, and to stay, with their tools, ladder and branches, 3 to 6 m away from power lines, depending on the voltage. FortisBC says never to trim near power lines yourself and to hire a certified utility arborist. Paid work: Anyone working for pay near a line over 750 V keeps at least 3 m away up to 75 kV, 4.5 m up to 250 kV and 6 m up to 550 kV, unless the line's owner gives a written assurance (WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation ss. 19.24, 19.24.1, 19.25, Table 19-1A). Pruning or felling trees closer than that needs the power system owner's authorization and a crew directed by a certified utility arborist or a qualified electrical worker (ss. 19.30, 19.32, 19.33). Hiring someone who isn't one to cut near a line is the risk these rules guard against (our reading). Disconnecting first: FortisBC says that in most cases it charges nothing to disconnect the power before an owner's tree work. Ask BC Hydro the same before work near the service line (our reading). Who pays: When FortisBC fells a hazard tree on private land it does so at its own cost, and the owner remains responsible for the debris and the stump. Neither utility's page says who pays for an owner's own arborist near the service wires; read as written, the owner does (our reading). A neighbour's tree: BC Hydro says it can't fix most neighbour disputes: a neighbour's tree over your service wires is a matter between neighbours (see a neighbour's tree), unless it threatens the utility's own line, when the utility can be asked to look (our reading). Planting: FortisBC advises planting nothing tall within 5 m either side of a power line, and choosing plants that stay small. Before digging, ask BC 1 Call to locate buried lines (see call before you dig). What it means for a buyer: Distribution and service lines aren't on an open map, so a report doesn't show them; it lists the transmission lines within 200 m. Look at the line from the pole to the house yourself.

Who trims a tree near the power line to my house in BC?

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