What is a Hazard Tree?
- Any tree that is growing into a power line (or at risk of falling into a power line) is called a hazard tree
- A hazard tree is a tree with severe defects, which will cause the tree (or part of the tree) to fail
- If that tree (or part of the tree) is close enough to Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) equipment, there’s a chance that it will damage our equipment
Examples of hazard trees include:
- Dead or diseased trees
- Damaged trees
- Decayed trunks or root systems
- Severely leaning or overhanging trees
- Trees with a high potential to fall into a line due to snow load
What to Do If You Spot a Hazard Tree
If you see a tree that has fallen into the high-voltage (primary) power line, it requires immediate attention.
- If the tree is confirmed to be hazardous, we may remove it at no cost or schedule a disconnect/connect so that you or a contractor can safely remove the tree
- Under no circumstances should you attempt to trim or remove a hazard tree without contacting us first
- The result could be damage to the co-op’s facilities or cause serious injury or even death
- Please call GVEA’s Dispatch Center at (907) 452-1151 to report a tree on the primary power line
- If you have a hazard tree on your property, please contact GVEA at (907) 451-5692
- You may also use our online Hazard Tree form to report a hazard tree
Never attempt to trim or remove hazard trees yourself. The result could be damage to GVEA’s facilities, and you will be held responsible for any repairs. Worse, you could be injured or killed.
Never touch a tree in contact with a power line. Trees do conduct electricity and can cause serious injury or death.
What Does GVEA Do About Hazard Trees?
- GVEA has certified tree-risk assessors who can evaluate potentially hazardous trees
- If it is determined that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to our equipment, we may remove it
Please note: Due to limited resources, we do not remove trees that are not in danger of damaging our equipment. If you are clearing around your service drop and suspect you may fall a tree into the power line, we recommend you hire a contractor.