You've written another fine essay, Heather. I would only add from here in northern California that the largest fire in California so far is twice the size of the Dixie Fire, at more than one million acres. The difference is that the Dixie fire is the largest single fire, while the largest combined one, the August Complex fire, was a bl…
You've written another fine essay, Heather. I would only add from here in northern California that the largest fire in California so far is twice the size of the Dixie Fire, at more than one million acres. The difference is that the Dixie fire is the largest single fire, while the largest combined one, the August Complex fire, was a blaze started by multiple lightning strikes in different places that merged into one. The Dixie Fire's single source was a tree that fell across PG & E power lines. The third largest single fire -- The Camp Fire -- that wiped out the town of Paradise, killed more than 80 people and sent PG & E into bankruptcy, also started from a PG & E power line failure. The location was about ten miles away from where the Camp fire started.
And here's a tip from my wife Mary Lou that's worth looking into. She and I both remember that about ten years ago, a bunch of Texas investors bought a controlling interest in PG & E. We all know that statewide, the Texas electrical system is substandard after that big ice storm and deep freeze killed scores of people last year. The question here as anger mounts against PG & E is whether the Texas brand of incompetence is now what is on display here in California. The headline in today's San Francisco Chronicle says "Dixie Fire rekindles mistrust of PG & E." The subhead reads "Critic says, 'They just don't learn from their mistakes.'"
PG & E came out a week or so ago with a plan to bury 10,000 miles of power lines, but that will take a lot of time to do and time is what we don't have anymore. There is quite a strong push here to cut to the chase and let the State of California mount a takeover and turn PG & E into a publicly owned utility.
And bury all those power lines underground. Without needing to make money to pay private share holders. Our power grid is a public good, an essential part of our infrastructure. Private utility companies are obsolete in terms of what is needed in our new social/climate reality. And 10,000 miles of power lines is a drop in the bucket.
I am so very ready for PG&E to become a non-entity in CA. The corporation has literally murdered people over the course of many years. Erin Brockavich is still fighting against them.
Let me see if I get this straight. People in California have lost their lives and homes because PG&E was negligent. People in Texas lost their lives and homes because the power grid failed after Texas neglected it. People all over the country, especially in Florida and Texas have lost their lives due to COVID. People everywhere are on the verge of gaining healthcare, infrastructure and child care but things are stalled in the Senate. Voting rights are being suppressed in too many states to mention. What is the common denominator here? This damage is largely the result of Republicans. So tell me again why anyone would vote for a Republican ever again????
I was not aware of the Texas investment in PG&E. I have friends in Santa Rosa who were spared their house (their street was between several that were completely burned up) in the fire a few years ago; that was the first fire I recall PG&E being responsible for.
I have read recently that the two big fires in our neck of the woods from last summer (the Holiday Farm Fire and Beachie Creek fires) were sparked by numerous downed powerlines from a "500 year wind event".
You've written another fine essay, Heather. I would only add from here in northern California that the largest fire in California so far is twice the size of the Dixie Fire, at more than one million acres. The difference is that the Dixie fire is the largest single fire, while the largest combined one, the August Complex fire, was a blaze started by multiple lightning strikes in different places that merged into one. The Dixie Fire's single source was a tree that fell across PG & E power lines. The third largest single fire -- The Camp Fire -- that wiped out the town of Paradise, killed more than 80 people and sent PG & E into bankruptcy, also started from a PG & E power line failure. The location was about ten miles away from where the Camp fire started.
And here's a tip from my wife Mary Lou that's worth looking into. She and I both remember that about ten years ago, a bunch of Texas investors bought a controlling interest in PG & E. We all know that statewide, the Texas electrical system is substandard after that big ice storm and deep freeze killed scores of people last year. The question here as anger mounts against PG & E is whether the Texas brand of incompetence is now what is on display here in California. The headline in today's San Francisco Chronicle says "Dixie Fire rekindles mistrust of PG & E." The subhead reads "Critic says, 'They just don't learn from their mistakes.'"
PG & E came out a week or so ago with a plan to bury 10,000 miles of power lines, but that will take a lot of time to do and time is what we don't have anymore. There is quite a strong push here to cut to the chase and let the State of California mount a takeover and turn PG & E into a publicly owned utility.
Time for the investors in PG&E to lose their investments. PG&E should have been a public utility a long time ago.
Agree.
And bury all those power lines underground. Without needing to make money to pay private share holders. Our power grid is a public good, an essential part of our infrastructure. Private utility companies are obsolete in terms of what is needed in our new social/climate reality. And 10,000 miles of power lines is a drop in the bucket.
I am so very ready for PG&E to become a non-entity in CA. The corporation has literally murdered people over the course of many years. Erin Brockavich is still fighting against them.
Let me see if I get this straight. People in California have lost their lives and homes because PG&E was negligent. People in Texas lost their lives and homes because the power grid failed after Texas neglected it. People all over the country, especially in Florida and Texas have lost their lives due to COVID. People everywhere are on the verge of gaining healthcare, infrastructure and child care but things are stalled in the Senate. Voting rights are being suppressed in too many states to mention. What is the common denominator here? This damage is largely the result of Republicans. So tell me again why anyone would vote for a Republican ever again????
Freedom from the burden of government and taxes, duh.
The Bootleg Fire is horrible. Southern Oregon is operating under another Heat Advisory this coming week, Weds.-Friday. So is the Willamette Valley.
I was not aware of the Texas investment in PG&E. I have friends in Santa Rosa who were spared their house (their street was between several that were completely burned up) in the fire a few years ago; that was the first fire I recall PG&E being responsible for.
I have read recently that the two big fires in our neck of the woods from last summer (the Holiday Farm Fire and Beachie Creek fires) were sparked by numerous downed powerlines from a "500 year wind event".