California Finds PG&E Responsible for Dixie Fire

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

U.S.

California Finds PG&E Responsible for Dixie Fire

PG&E power lines sparked last year’s massive wildfire, which exploded to become the second-largest in California history

By Katherine Blunt and Jim Carlton
https://twitter.com/KatherineBlunt
[e-mail]
https://twitter.com/jimcarltonsf
[e-mail]
Updated Jan. 5, 2022 12:26 am ET

California investigators have concluded that PG&E Corp. power lines ignited a wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills last summer that exploded to become the second-largest in state history. ... Officials with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said in a statement late Tuesday that the fire started after a tree came into contact with the company’s electrical distribution lines in the forested Feather River Canyon. Cal Fire officials said they forwarded their investigative report to the district attorney’s office in Butte County, where the fire started.

The Dixie Fire, which ignited on July 13, grew to consume nearly a million acres across five counties and blackened swaths of scenic forest including much of Lassen Volcanic National Park. It destroyed more than 1,300 structures, including the small town of Greenville, and left one person dead. ... Butte County officials weren’t immediately available for comment.

PG&E had already acknowledged its power lines likely sparked the fire, and in November it disclosed in securities filings that it may face at least $1.15 billion in related liability costs. It said late Tuesday: “Regardless of today’s finding, we will continue to be tenacious in our efforts to stop fire ignitions from our equipment and to ensure that everyone and everything is always safe.”

Shortly after the Dixie Fire started, PG&E Chief Executive Patti Poppe announced a plan to bury 10,000 miles of distribution lines, reversing an earlier stance by the company that doing so would be prohibitively expensive. PG&E has since solicited information from engineering and construction firms and formed an undergrounding council to help formulate the plan.

The Dixie Fire ignited in the vicinity of the Camp Fire, which killed 84 people and destroyed the town of Paradise in November 2018. It was the deadliest fire in California history.

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Write to Katherine Blunt at [e-mail] and Jim Carlton at [e-mail]

Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Appeared in the January 5, 2022, print edition as 'California Blames PG&E for Dixie Fire.'

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-finds-pg-e-responsible-for-dixie-fire-11641357672

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PG&E power lines ignited the second-largest fire in California history, state investigators concluded

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[Wicked Blue]

1. The state should take over the utility and run it

PG&E has a pretty crummy track record

[ShazamIam]

4. I would prefe it be converted to a user-co-op with the goal of providing reliable safe service

not a profit for the private equity owners, or political bureaucracy.

[Farmer-Rick]

2. Most privatized electric corporations fail to do proper maintenance

It costs too much for them to keep up with it IF they want huge profits to line the owner's pockets.

There was a tree on the edge of my property that was on a steep slope. It had died a couple of years ago and was starting to lean over the road and electric/phone lines. I called the electric company to get it cut down. But they said it wasn't their issue. I called a tree removal company and they said it was too close to the lines and they weren't allowed to remove trees that close.

Eventually I bugged the electric company enough that they took off the top and then I got the tree company to take the rest of it out. 3 days later we had a huge rain and the roots washed down into the gully by the rode. Glad I had it removed.

But the electric company should have been taking care of it. There's another tree on my neighbor's property that is dead and hanging over the electric lines. It's going to take out those lines in the next big storm. I pointed it out to the electric company when they were here and they agreed but did nothing.

Profits over everything....this is why privitzation of public functions is just so stupid. But hey capitalism.

[captain queeg]

3. An aspect of socialism that the rethugs and money grabbers ignore

Everything is geared for profit, in the short term. Utilities need to be treated as a long term investment.

[TeamProg]

5. Share-holders won't be charged a dime !!

[Evolve Dammit]

6. I thought it was Antifa arsonists.... Seriously, dump this utility CA. Go pubically-owned.

[AllaN01Bear]

7. so is pg and e going to be charged with murder since corps are now people ?

not.