See a low-flying helicopter today? Here’s why

A PG&E helicopter will fly just a few hundred feet above Cotati, Santa Rosa and Windsor Wednesday to survey the impact of dead trees.|
NICK RAHAIM
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A Pacific Gas and Electric helicopter will fly just a few hundred feet above Cotati, Santa Rosa and Windsor Wednesday to survey the impact of dead trees.

The flight is part of a week-long effort to assess the fire and public safety risk dead trees pose to power lines in Mendocino and Sonoma counties, PG&E said in a statement.

“Even with the abundant rain this winter, five years of drought in California have caused millions of trees to die or become structurally compromised,” Kamran Rasheed, manager of PG&E vegetation management, said in a statement.

PG&E will fly over Covelo and Dos Rios Thursday and over Laytonville Friday. The helicopter will fly 200 to 300 feet off the ground, PG&E said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.

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