Pacific Gas and Electric Company found damage on a power circuit near Lake Almanor that could have started a wildfire. The damage appeared on the Big Meadows circuit after a tree branch fell and struck electrical equipment.
PG&E had already turned off power on that circuit during a public safety power shutoff on September 12. The shutoff affected about 4,965 customers. The company turned off the power to prevent fires during severe weather.
Inspectors found the damage on September 13, before restoring power. The line runs through forested areas where fires could spread fast. PG&E will repair the damage before turning the power back on.
The company used a fire model to estimate what could have happened. If the circuit had stayed energized, a fire could have burned 676 acres and damaged about 20 buildings. The model suggested seven buildings might have been lost.
The model included recent weather conditions like rain. It can’t predict if a fire definitely would have started. The company uses the modeling to learn why shutting off power prevents fires.
PG&E says they understand the problems caused by power shutoffs. They use these shutoffs only as a last resort. The company wants to protect people and property when wildfire risk rises. This incident shows why they keep using the shutoff tool during dangerous weather.
