The Latest: PG&E equipment sparked 3 Bay Area fires

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

The Latest: PG&E equipment sparked 3 Bay Area fires

an hour ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on California fires (all times local):

4:15 p.m.

Northern California officials say Pacific Gas & Electric Co. equipment caused three fires that broke out in San Francisco suburbs earlier this week.

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District confirmed Friday that the utility’s power lines sparked a pair of fires Sunday in Lafayette east of San Francisco.

One of the fires destroyed the Lafayette Tennis Club.

The district also said that PG&E’s power lines and transformer started a brush fire in Martinez on Sunday. Residents were ordered to evacuate but allowed to go home a short time later.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/661b50c11db4443498b02c42b1992de8

[Finishline42]

1. So what is it about their power lines that is causing fires?

Are their lines any different than what other utilities use?

Is it more about the dry conditions and wind?

Your link is not clear about this.

[Eugene]

2. PG&E has been especially negligent about maintaining their equipment.

Various articles have detailed PG&E's responsibility for the Camp Fire and its failure to clean up its act since the 2010 San Bruno explosion. PG&E estimates that it will take 10 years for them to make the grid safe.

Prosecutors: Fires May Mean PG&E Violated Criminal Sentence (for San Bruno)

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/12/31/prosecutors-wildfires-may-mean-pge-violated-criminal-sentence-san-bruno/

District Attorney says PG&E equipment started Camp Fire, not yet sure if it was a crime

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/wildfire/district-attorney-says-pge-equipment-started-camp-fire-not-yet-sure-if-it-was-a-crime/103-2f757cf6-0905-44ec-90ad-6c7d47770087

Criminal charges against PG&E could send message in Northern California wildfires

https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Criminal-charges-against-PG-E-could-send-message-13963763.php

Bankrupt California utility blamed for deadly wildfires agrees to $11bn payout

PG&E to pay insurers of claimants from two years of blazes, including Paradise fire that left 86 dead, in tentative deal

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/13/california-wildfires-pg-e-agreement