Utility Admits Their Equipment May Be to Blame for Starting Another Wildfire

By B.N. Frank

Wildfires have been blamed on Climate Change, poor forest management, downed power lines, and increasing levels of Electromagnetic Radiation making trees and plants more fire prone (see 1, 2).

Earlier this year, Southern California Edison paid $2.2B to settle insurance claims for a 2018 wildfire. Earlier this month, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) proposed to pay for wildfire safety by significantly increasing customers’ rates. More recently, the company admitted that their equipment may have started another wildfire.

From Zero Hedge:

California’s PG&E Admits Their Equipment May Have Started Yet Another Wildfire

Pacific Gas & Electric admitted in recently filed documents that their equipment may have started yet another California wildfire.

In Monday documents filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E reported that a worker responding to a circuit outage at 7 a.m. on July 13 noticed blown fuses in a conductor on top of a pole, a tree leaning into the conductor, and a fire at the base of the tree. The ensuing Dixie fire in Feather River Canyon has burned 30,074 acres and is 15% contained.

The report, posted to the PG&E website, says that due to “challenging terrain and road work resulting in a bridge closure,” the worker could not reach the pole with the blown fuse until around 4:40 p.m. that day.

When the troubleman arrived, he observed “a fire on the ground near the base of the tree,” as well as “two of three fuses blown and what appeared to him to be a healthy green tree leaning into the Bucks Creek 1101 12 kV conductor, which was still intact and suspended on the poles,” the report says.

The utility worker called his supervisor, who in turn called 911. –Sacramento Bee

This is hardly the first time PG&E equipment has been linked to major wildfires – including the 2018 ‘Camp’ fire that killed 85 people in the town of Paradise – the deadliest wildfire in California’s recorded history.

PG&E equipment was also linked to the deadly 2020 Zogg Fire in Shasta County, as well as the 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County.

Approximately 800 structures remain threatened by the Dixie Fire, according to Cal Fire.

PG&E’s “Smart” Meters may have not yet been linked to wildfires, but they have been linked to fires and explosions which have led to lawsuits filed by insurance companies and utility customers. Of course, it’s not only PG&E “Smart” Meters that have been reported as catching fire and exploding (see 1, 2, 3).

Opposition to “Smart” Meters – electric, gas, and water– is worldwide due to a variety of problems associated with these devices in addition to fires and explosions. Some utility companies offer “opt out” programs because of complaints and lawsuits. Free online documentary Take Back Your Power provides more details.

Activist Post reports regularly about “Smart” Meters and other unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites: