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Tree near power lines in Sacramento: who trims it and how to stay safe

Whether the utility will trim a tree near a power line — or whether it's your job — depends on which utility serves you and which wire the tree is near. This guide summarizes SMUD, PG&E, Roseville Electric and CPUC guidance checked October 2026. Utility policies change, so confirm with your utility before any work. We are a referral service, not a tree company or a utility.

Safety first

• If a tree or branch is touching a line, or a line is down: assume it's energized. Stay away from the tree, the wire, and anything touching them, and call 911 and your utility. SMUD's downed-line number is 1-888-456-7683; PG&E's is 1-800-743-5000.
• The 10-foot rule: PG&E says to keep your body and tools at least 10 feet away from powerlines. SMUD – Protecting trees and power lines asks you to call 1-866-473-9582 if a tree you want to prune or remove is within 10 feet of a high-voltage line; SMUD will inspect at no charge and may do a "safety prune" so you or your paid contractor can finish the job (cleanup is then yours).
• Don't climb trees near lines, and don't let kids build forts in them. The CPUC tree trimming and vegetation management information advises calling your utility before trimming any tree near high-voltage lines.

Who is your electric utility?

• SMUD serves about 900 square miles, including most of Sacramento County and small adjoining parts of Placer and Yolo counties (SMUD's service area). That covers most of the City of Sacramento and the county's suburbs.
• Roseville Electric Utility is the City of Roseville's own utility.
• PG&E serves many surrounding areas, including Yolo County cities such as Davis and West Sacramento.

The quickest check is the name on your electric bill.

Which wire is it? Distribution, secondary, service drop, or communication

Wooden poles in front of most homes carry several kinds of lines, stacked by voltage:

• High-voltage (primary/distribution) lines are at the top of the pole. PG&E describes its distribution lines as "usually on the top of wood poles," above communication lines and service drops. SMUD says poles or cross-arms carrying high-voltage lines are marked "High Voltage."
• Low-voltage secondary lines run below the transformer.
• The service drop is the wire from the pole to your house.
• Communication lines (phone, cable, internet) are typically lowest on the pole. PG&E notes these are maintained by each service provider — call your phone or cable company for those.

Who trims what

SMUD

Per SMUD – Protecting trees and power lines, SMUD clears vegetation from all high-voltage overhead lines and generally needs about 12 feet between tree canopies and its overhead lines — up to 20 feet for fast-growing trees such as mulberry or eucalyptus. SMUD inspects its service area on a 2-year cycle (1-year in higher-risk areas). If your tree needs pruning, SMUD notifies you in person or with a door hanger; it says your permission isn't required because it is legally required to keep lines safe. Crews usually arrive 4–6 weeks after the inspection. Low-voltage secondary lines are usually cleared during routine cycles, and service lines to your house are pruned only if there is heavy strain or abrasion — otherwise they can be safely worked around by you or your contractor. After storms, SMUD will cut trees off its lines to restore power, but SMUD storm safety says removing and disposing of the debris on your property is the owner's responsibility.

PG&E

Per PG&E – Trees and powerlines, PG&E maintains minimum clearances around its distribution lines of 18 inches in regular areas and 4 feet in CPUC-designated High Fire-Threat Districts, and trims beyond those minimums. But property owners are responsible for keeping service drop wires clear of vegetation and dead or hazardous trees. PG&E offers a free temporary service disconnect so you or your contractor can work safely; per PG&E – How do I cut a tree with a wire running through it?, a technician can disconnect the drop from the building and roll it back to the pole, and service is usually restored the same or next day (schedule at 1-800-743-5000). If the wire doesn't run from the pole to a building, PG&E will send someone to inspect and decide who is responsible.

Roseville Electric

Roseville Electric Utility – Utility clearance says that if a branch is growing close to an overhead line, call 79-POWER (916-797-6937) and it will dispatch a trimming crew for free — and asks residents not to trim the branch themselves.

Who is allowed to trim near energized lines?

California's workplace safety rules (Cal/OSHA Title 8 § 2951 (Line Clearance Tree Trimming Operations)) allow only qualified line-clearance tree trimmers, or trainees under their direct supervision, to perform line-clearance tree trimming, and require nonconductive equipment for removing branches touching energized conductors. SMUD says everyone pruning on its behalf is Cal/OSHA-certified for line-clearance work. An ordinary tree service generally should not work within the danger zone of high-voltage lines — that's what the utility's safety prune or a disconnect is for.

Removing a tree near lines: a practical sequence

1. Identify your utility and the wire involved (high-voltage, service drop, or communication).
2. Within 10 ft of a high-voltage line: call the utility first (SMUD 1-866-473-9582; PG&E 1-800-743-5000; Roseville 916-797-6937).
3. Near only the service drop: PG&E customers can schedule a free temporary disconnect; SMUD customers should call SMUD if the drop is strained or abraded.
4. Check permits — power-line proximity doesn't exempt a protected tree. See Sacramento tree permits and oak tree rules.
5. Hire a licensed, insured contractor (C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor; verify at cslb.ca.gov) and expect line proximity to raise the price — see tree removal costs and tree trimming costs.
6. Planting or digging a root barrier? Call 811 first — PG&E says at least two working days before you dig — and choose a tree that won't grow into the lines.

If a tree has already fallen on lines or your house in a storm, see Emergency tree removal and Tree fell on your house: insurance and next steps. Dead tree near a line? See Dead tree removal in Sacramento.

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Tree removal costs by area: Sacramento · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · Carmichael · West Sacramento · Davis · Natomas · Antelope · Fair Oaks
More guides: Stump grinding cost · Emergency/storm removal · Tree trimming cost · Palm tree removal · Tree permits · Tree fell on house: insurance · Neighbor & boundary trees · Oak tree removal · Dead/hazardous trees · Trees near power lines · Roots, sewers & foundations