Cleaning up your yard

Getting information on the steps to take to clean up your yard after a disaster.

Never approach an electric wire that has fallen to the ground. Immediately call 911. There is an elevated risk that a wire touching the ground is hot and that the surrounding ground is also live.

If you notice a wire or cable from a telecommunications service company on the ground, contact the service provider.  There will usually be an orange sticker or label on the equipment or close by which mentions the service provider’s contact details.

Carefully remove all debris from the ground.  Follow the recommendations regarding how to avoid the risk of infection or injury while picking up such debris.

Contact your municipality with regard to any necessary permits before doing any backfilling or excavation, or stabilizing an embankment.

Before proceeding to cut down any trees, contact your municipality for details of the regulations in force and take the following precautions:

• Use equipment that is in good working order and made for the tasks you will be undertaking; also, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Verify that the equipment’s safety devices are in good condition.
• Wear personal protective equipment that is compliant with the standards in force: pants and safety boots when using a mechanical saw, along with safety glasses or goggles and a hard hat.
• If cutting down a tree becomes too complicated, for example because of a nearby structure (shed, swimming pool, etc.), reach out to a company specialized in such jobs.
• Never cut down a tree that is near a live power line (i.e., within 3 metres) or which could, once felled, find itself within such a 3-metre zone. Instead, call a business or professional that is certified by the electric system operator. Should you have any doubts or questions, contact Hydro-Québec.
• Adopt proper work methods and working positions.

For more information, read the page on security measures to take into consideration before pruning or cutting down a tree.

Should you find a dead animal on your property, pick up the carcass with a shovel or while wearing disposable gloves, and place it in a heavy-duty plastic bag. Close the bag tightly, then place it in another such bag. Close this second bag tightly as well, so nothing can seep out. Throw away the bag in the garbage bin you use for your garbage removal.

Once this is done, clean everything you used to manipulate the animal, then wash your hands with soap and hot water.

If you find an animal that is too big to be placed in a plastic bag, contact your municipality.