Rooted in Safety: Growing the next generation of wildfire prevention arborists

For PGE, wildfire prevention is a year-round effort - rain or shine. On a cold and rainy morning in April, PGE forestry crews teamed up with AntFarm, a local youth workforce development organization, to demonstrate how to safely trim and clear trees located next to power lines in the heavily forested Brightwood neighborhood near Rhododendron, Oregon.

As part of its Community Wildfire Defense Program, AntFarm youth participants receive hands-on training in forestry and wildfire prevention techniques, providing valuable workforce development while actively reducing fire risks. The program has treated over 100 at-risk properties, performed over 200 Home Ignition Zone assessments, and directly employed more than two dozen youth participants.

On this day, the youth participants received a first-hand look at how certified utility arborists trim trees near high voltage lines. PGE contract vegetation management crews removed three large cottonwood trees near powerlines along Barlow Trail Road, a main thoroughfare in the Brightwood area.

As PGE contract crews carefully maneuvered above power lines, the budding arborists watched safely below learning the ins and outs of vegetation management near power lines. Once the trees were trimmed back a safe distance from the power lines, AntFarm crews donned their safety gear and finished removing the trees and hauled away the debris.

"It is a great opportunity for our crews to be able to see how utility arborists work to keep infrastructure up and running and mitigate the risk of wildfire," said AntFarm wildfire mitigation manager, Logan Hancock.

For PGE forester, Patrick Donovan, wildfire prevention is more than just a day job. He said it's a responsibility he doesn't take lightly to protect local communities and preserve Oregon's natural landscape.

"This is the first time we've partnered with AntFarm to show how we trim trees near power lines," said Donovan. "This work is helping to remove hazard trees and promote wildfire safety in the area."

Vegetation management in the Brightwood neighborhood is year-round for PGE. In addition to PGE's routine tree maintenance, crews work year-round to trim or remove potentially hazardous trees near powerlines in the utility's right-of-way, that could fuel a wildfire.

"Wildfire prevention is something I'm very passionate about," said Donovan. "This work to maintain the forest and the beautiful place we live has a very real effect on the community's livability."

Wildfire prevention: Seeing the impact

In 2024 alone, nearly 2,000 wildfires in Oregon burned almost two million acres, a more than 300% increase above the state's 10-year average.

Brightwood resident, Carolyn MacDonald said she became worried for her community after seeing the increase of wildfires in Oregon and the destruction from wildfires along the West coast. She is now on her neighborhood's Firewise board, a program that teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together. She said she is encouraged by PGE and AntFarm wildfire prevention efforts to keep her and her neighbors safe.

"It empowers us as a community. If PGE is willing to do the work, then we need to take responsibility in our own personal zones," said MacDonald.

Along with year-round vegetation management for wildfire prevention, PGE makes investments in infrastructure hardening, replacing wood poles with fire resistant metal poles, using cutting-edge technology such as AI cameras and early fault detection sensors for early fire detection and rapid response. All this in addition to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) when weather is at its worst to prevent potential ignitions from power lines.

"As a resident, I'm very grateful for all the work that PGE has done over the past year," said MacDonald. "You can see the changes PGE is doing and our neighborhood recognizes that."