What is the minimum safe distance for trees in contact with wires?

What is the minimum safe distance for trees in contact with wires?

• A. 15 feet
• B. 25 feet
• C. 10 feet
• D. 50 feet

Answer: (B)

Keep clearances from overhead wires to prevent any possibility of contact, arcing, or energizing a path to the ground. Trees can grow toward lines, sway in the wind, and shed branches that may reach the conductors. A buffer of twenty-five feet gives enough room for growth, movement, and line sag so that branches or even small limbs won't touch energized wires. It also provides space for workers or equipment to operate safely without getting close to live conductors. Shorter distances, like ten or fifteen feet, can be unsafe for taller trees or seasonal growth, while a much larger gap like fifty feet may be impractical in many landscapes. Therefore, the minimum safe distance is twenty-five feet.

Keep clearances from overhead wires to prevent any possibility of contact, arcing, or energizing a path to the ground. Trees can grow toward lines, sway in the wind, and shed branches that may reach the conductors. A buffer of twenty-five feet gives enough room for growth, movement, and line sag so that branches or even small limbs won't touch energized wires. It also provides space for workers or equipment to operate safely without getting close to live conductors. Shorter distances, like ten or fifteen feet, can be unsafe for taller trees or seasonal growth, while a much larger gap like fifty feet may be impractical in many landscapes. Therefore, the minimum safe distance is twenty-five feet.