(317) 555-0142

Is a tree is on the power line / there are sparks outside an emergency?

Call tonight. The tree has become an electrical conductor. Green wood and wet bark carry current, so the tree itself, any fence or gutter it touches, and the ground in a radius around a downed conductor can all be energized. Until the utility says otherwise this is an electrical incident that happens to involve a tree, not a tree job that happens to involve a wire.

What changes while you wait

Now — call 911 and the utility. Keep people and pets at least 10 feet back, which is OSHA's clearance requirement for unqualified persons around lines up to 50kV, and keep everyone off any wet path to the tree. If a conductor is down near you, shuffle away with your feet together rather than stepping. Critically: distribution circuits use automatic reclosers, so a line that went dead can re-energize by itself within seconds without any crew arriving. Never treat quiet as safe.

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