for example, that the storm was so extreme that no reasonable amount of pruning (i.e. anything short of clear-cutting) would’ve saved those wires!

Do they not do clear-cutting for power lines there? The high voltage lines all have a minimum distance that has to be clear of trees where I'm from. Otherwise there would be issues every single year, maybe multiple times a year.

Or is this for residential areas with regular power lines? In that case I'll agree that clear cutting isn't a necessity and we'll just have to accept the occasional freak accident for the sake of maintaining tree canopy in our cities, which is very important, especially in a hot climate where trees provide shade from the scorching sun.