HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- Crews are starting to clear a path toward a massive tree in Harrisburg that will come down starting August 1. The tree is posing a major safety threat.
PPL and the City of Harrisburg are working together to remove the tree.
abc27 checked in with PPL about why the issue is only being addressed now. PPL said its forester had been monitoring the tree for a while, but things got worse much faster than expected.
abc27 also asked why the project is moving so fast. Some neighbors got less than 24 hours notice that PPL needed access to their yards. PPL said it cannot afford to wait.
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"This tree could fall at any moment," PPL Regional Affairs Director Maggie Sheely said.
The 80-year-old elm tree in Midtown Harrisburg has become a hazard to the homeowners whose backyard it stands in now.
"We started receiving calls from residents that branches were breaking off and there were wires being compromised and lines being compromised," Sheely said.
Sheely said that is when PPL started monitoring the tree, and things went downhill *fast.
"The tree forced us to go into emergency mode," she said.
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The tree is on private property, so normally PPL would not be responsible for it.
"The tree itself is spanning multiple properties because of the roots," Sheely said.
However, once the branches started hitting power lines, it became a public safety concern. If the tree downed a power line, it could start a fire.
"We need to go back there and take care of this before it falls over completely and causes an emergency," Sheely said.
PPL and the city had to act fast to remove it
"We weren't able to communicate with residents as far in advance as we normally would," Sheely explained.
Sheely said PPL tried to let people know as quickly as possible before crews started prep work Friday.
"We're taking out a pear tree," Sheely said. "[We're] taking away some fencing and backyard materials."
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Crew have to clear space through some people's yards so larger equipment can get to the tree.
"They needed to kind of create a path for a bucket truck to get in there," Sheel said.
Once the tree is removed, Sheely said PPL's own landscaping team will fix up those yards t no cost to the owners.
"They're going to come in and restore everything to like it was before or better," she said.
The main job of removing the tree itself begins Monday, August 1. The whole block around the tree will be closed to parking and traffic all week long -- that includes parts of Green, Harris, Penn and Clinton streets.
Some people in the area will experience power outages most of Monday into Tuesday. People can remain in their homes, but Harrisburg Area Community College has offered their building at 1523 N. 5th Street as a day shelter for people to cool down or work.
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