Published 03:52 IST, October 30th 2019
California fires: Pacific Gas and Electric in the centre of a storm
The California fires are creating numerous amounts of problems for all those that are present in the state in the United States especially with power outages.
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The California fires are creating numerous amounts of problems for all those that are present in the state in the United States. A foreign publication states that a vast number of people are extremely angry at the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG &E) company. Pacific Gas and Electic is the United States largest utility is behind the massive power shutoffs that are currently underway across the state of California. The publication further claims that PG &E has a history of causing deadly wildfires.
PG &E's biggest failure
Furthermore, there is a vast number of reasons as to why people are mad at the largest Utility company. One of the reasons being corporate greed, these blackouts disproportionately affect the medically vulnerable and low income, states the publication. In striking contrast to the general consensus, there are people who support these power blackouts and are of the view to take whatever measure is necessary to prevent more deadly wildfires. But in these power blackouts, PG &E is being currently targeted because of their biggest failure yet which is communication, the publication further adds.
Forced nearly 2,000 natives to flee their homes
On October 25, the wildfires which spread in Northern California's wine country forced nearly 2,000 natives to flee their homes, 20,000 without electricity, along with evacuation of nearly 40,000 residents. The blazes which consumed about 5,000 acres and destroyed an unknown number of structures had begun near the base of a high-voltage transmission tower and was damaged. The tower was owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co acknowledged that it was an “electric safety incident” in the report to the California Public Utilities Commission. One of its power lines malfunctioned at the same time and location where the fire was originated. Company's bankrupt holding company, PG&E Corp technician was inspecting the site which was discovered by the state fire department.
Nearly 8,000 acres of land has been destroyed
The company which is a unit of Edison International claimed that they had notified the California Public Utility Commission on October 11 that their system was impacted near the reported time of the fire. The Fire Department spokesman reportedly claimed earlier that the investigators had traced the fire's origin to a slope beneath the high-voltage tower near Saddle Ridge Road, however, the tower was not suspected of sparking the blaze. The Saddle Ridge fire broke out on October 10 and erupted across the northern edge of San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. It has reportedly destroyed nearly 8,000 acres, threatened more than 17,000 homes.
01:22 IST, October 30th 2019