Hydro crews to attend to areas of concern

Hydro One says its forestry crews will respond to complaints by some Conmee Township residents about scattered piles of tree limbs and branches that had been left from recent tree-trimming operations. "Crews will return to the areas identified by residents to address their concerns," a utility spokeswoman said this week. Trees are being trimmed in the Conmee area to "remove any diseased or dead trees that may come into contact with power lines." "This work is done to support the safe and reliable delivery of electricity," the spokeswoman said. Complaints about leftover branch piles surfaced online, with some residents calling it "a mess" and wondering when it would get picked up. The Township of Conmee said it received an inquiry from one resident who wondered who had trimmed the trees. Hydro One says it normally removes brush when tree-trimming has been conducted in public spaces like parks and hiking trails. "Otherwise, cut vegetation is often left on site to promote re-forestation and soil health, and provide habitat for animals," the spokeswoman said. She added: "In light of the increasing risk of forest fires, we continue to review our work practices to identify opportunities to help reduce the overall risk." In a news release last year, Hydro One said it "regularly addresses the risk of forest fires to its system by ensuring there are safe distances between electricity lines and tree limbs or brush." Meanwhile, a Fort William First Nation bulletin advised its residents that provincial crews would conduct a prescribed burn "due to the high risk of uncontrolled spread of fire in the immediate and surrounding areas within the community." The burn was to have taken place on Thursday, the bulletin said.

Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, The Chronicle-Journal