Victorians’ towns and suburbs could be kept cooler in summer if tree limbs around powerlines were trimmed more carefully. The state's team of experts say better pruning is an easy fix in the fight against extreme heat, but the plan has been cut down by government.
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00:00One street, two trees and two different methods to pruning.
00:07This tree has been trimmed back from the power lines under current rules, and this one has
00:11been cut more delicately, less has been pruned and it could bring big benefits.
00:16You get much greater canopy cover, you get much greater shade, much greater cooling.
00:22Dr Greg Moore is part of Victoria's expert panel on electricity line clearing.
00:27The group told government to reduce the length of branch cut from one metre to 30 centimetres
00:32on low risk power lines in suburban streets and country towns.
00:36It will help tackle extreme urban heat.
00:39You'll get lower fuel bills because you won't have to use your air conditioning so much.
00:43Victoria will get about a billion dollars worth of benefit at no cost to any taxpayer
00:48in the state.
00:49Energy Safe Victoria has so far rejected the plan.
00:52It's opting for a more gradual change to regulation so it can monitor the impacts on energy reliability
00:58as well as safety.
00:59Safety is really important.
01:01Trees too close to power lines start fires, they can be deadly.
01:04Howard Templeton got involved on the expert panel a decade ago after becoming increasingly
01:09frustrated with tree pruning in cold rain.
01:12The veteran firefighter, he rejects any suggestion the plan would be dangerous.
01:16But it's about the damage that's inflicted on those trees.
01:19Under the current legislation it actually weakens the trees, makes them more likely
01:24to have branches blow off and blow into the line.
01:29The opposition is urging a rethink.
01:31We don't want our city to be a barren, hot place.
01:35We want it to be lush and green.
01:39This is the garden state after all.