Trees and vegetation caused 75 percent of all the power outages during Tropical Storm Leslie, Belco said today.A Belco spokeswoman said: "With that in mind, we would like to remind property owners – while the storm is fresh in everyone's minds – of the importance of trimming trees away from power lines to help keep the own power on during storms."Doing so is not just for themselves, but for the wider community, including neighbours and all others on a circuit."Belco said that property owners are responsible for keeping their tree limbs away from power lines and removing limbs when they are cut.The spokeswoman added: "Belco contacts property owners along main line circuits year-round, asking that they trim their trees away from power lines to help prevent storm-related outages, as main line circuits serve large numbers of customers. Trimming trees safely and well in advance of storms is the best way to maintain clearance."When a storm is imminent, as part of preparation work, Belco inspects main line circuits with the objective of minimizing outage probability."If we find that property owners have not trimmed their trees away from lines, then Belco has the right to cut private-property trees that might have an impact on our system. Property owners are responsible for removing the cut limbs."Belco requests that property owners contact us, if they are going to trim vegetation that may be dangerously close to power lines. If we are notified approximately three weeks in advance, then we can schedule a service interruption, de-energizing the circuit, so that the property owner or contractor can work safely."