A tree or branch resting on a power line can kill in an instant. Here are the dangers, the safe distances, and the one thing you must never do.

A tree or heavy limb draped across a power line is one of the most dangerous situations a homeowner can face. It does not look as violent as a tree through a roof, which is exactly why people underestimate it. As certified arborists who respond to these emergencies around the clock, we want you to understand the risk clearly, because the wrong move here can be fatal.

The One Thing to Never Do

Never touch, approach, or attempt to move a tree or branch that is contacting a power line. Not with your hands, not with a pole, not with a chainsaw, not with a rope. This is the single rule that saves lives.

Electricity does not need you to touch the wire directly. A tree in contact with a live line can energize the entire tree, the ground around it, and anything touching it. People have been electrocuted simply by stepping near a downed line or touching a fence that a fallen limb was resting against.

Why It Is So Deadly

Several hidden dangers make electrical tree emergencies uniquely lethal.

Trees conduct electricity. A wet or living tree is not the insulator many assume. A limb touching a line can carry a fatal current all the way to the ground.
Ground can be energized. Voltage spreads outward through the earth from a downed or contacting line, creating a shock hazard several feet in every direction.
Lines may still be live. Never assume a line is dead just because your lights are out. Automatic systems can re-energize a line without warning.
Backfeed risk. A neighbor's improperly connected generator can send power back into lines you believe are safe.

What to Do Instead

Your job is to keep people away and get the right professionals dispatched.

Keep everyone, including pets, at least 35 feet away from the tree, the line, and anything they touch
Call 911 and your electric utility immediately to report the contact
If a line is on your car with you inside, stay in the vehicle until utility crews say it is safe, unless there is a fire
Do not drive over downed lines
Warn others to stay back

Only the utility can de-energize the line. Once they confirm the line is safe, a professional crew can remove the tree.