Pacific Gas and Electric’s antiquated, poorly maintained power lines have caused major wildfires throughout its territory, including the 2018 Camp Fire, the most destructive in California’s history. Subsequently they declared war on trees by implementing an “Enhanced Vegetation Management” plan with the declared objective of cutting down 1 million trees a year.
There is a much better way: PG&E needs to follow the lead of many other utility companies by replacing their antiquated, dangerous bare copper distribution wires with modern conductors and circuit breakers that are incapable of starting fires.
On March 17 Redwood Chapter sponsored an eye-opening presentation by Sierra Club Wildfire Utility task Force member Kevin Collins that details the extraordinarily risky way PG&E transmission and distribution lines are constructed, why they cause so many fires, and what can be done about it. This tutorial has now been posted to the Chapter YouTube channel and is available for the world to see -- please check it out. And while you are there, please take a moment to help boost our algorithm by “liking” the video and subscribing to the channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42lHEivjdlY
We Need Your Help!
To keep up the pressure on PG&E to upgrade its dangerous infrastructure instead of engaging in wholesale tree slaughter, we invite you to send us photos and stories about your own experiences dealing with this issue, to be compiled and posted to the Redwood Chapter YouTube channel. Short videos are welcome too but still photos are fine. Please send materials to chapter vice chair and resident videographer Dan Mayhew at drmayhew@comcast.net.