{"id":521770,"date":"2021-08-03T02:13:07","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T06:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/pge-outlines-additional-safety-measures-it-is-deploying-to-help-with-historic-drought-impacts-and-growing-wildfire-risk-in-california\/"},"modified":"2021-08-03T02:13:07","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T06:13:07","slug":"pge-outlines-additional-safety-measures-it-is-deploying-to-help-with-historic-drought-impacts-and-growing-wildfire-risk-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/pge-outlines-additional-safety-measures-it-is-deploying-to-help-with-historic-drought-impacts-and-growing-wildfire-risk-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"PG&E Outlines Additional Safety Measures It Is Deploying to Help with Historic Drought Impacts and Growing Wildfire Risk in California"},"content":{"rendered":"

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PG&E Outlines Additional Safety Measures It Is Deploying to Help with Historic Drought Impacts and Growing Wildfire Risk in California<\/b><\/p>\n

Additional Measures Are on Top of PG&E\u2019s Recently Announced Initiative to Underground 10,000 Miles of Power Lines in Highest Fire-Threat Areas<\/b><\/p>\n

Company Filed Electric Incident Report Today Related to the Fly Fire, Which Was Overtaken by the Dixie Fire Two Days After It Started<\/i><\/p>\n

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE<\/a>)–
\nWith nearly all of California experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions and an early start to the traditional peak of wildfire season, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced a series of additional safety measures it is undertaking, over and above its 2021 Community Wildfire Safety Program and 2021 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, to help with the growing wildfire threat in many parts of its service area.\n<\/p>\n

\nAdditionally, PG&E today filed an electric incident report<\/a> (EIR) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) related to the Fly Fire in Plumas County. The Fly Fire was overtaken by the Dixie Fire approximately two days after it started on July 22, 2021.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe appreciate the heroic efforts of CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and other first responders fighting these fires and protecting life and property. We will be tenacious in our efforts to stop ignitions from our equipment. We recently announced our initiative to underground 10,000 miles of overhead power lines, which will significantly reduce the risk we face in the years to come. Today, we are outlining additional safety actions to combat the real and evolving wildfire threat present today,\u201d said Patti Poppe, CEO of PG&E Corporation.\n<\/p>\n

Current Drought Conditions<\/b><\/p>\n

\nAccording to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 85% of California is now in the extreme drought category. The Northern Sierra has had the second driest two-year period in nearly 50 years, with only about half of normal amounts of rain and snow. Today, more than 50% of the land in PG&E\u2019s Northern and Central California service area is now considered part of High Fire Threat Districts (HFTDs) and all of it is in these drought-impacted regions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe fires we\u2019ve seen this summer are not wind-driven events that we typically see in the fall; they are primarily dry fuel-driven events. Climate change impacts have led to more frequent heat waves, extreme drought, and millions of dead and dying trees, which have created elevated wildfire risk. It\u2019s not just in California. It\u2019s happening across the West from British Columbia to Arizona and in between,\u201d said Scott Strenfel, Director of PG&E Meteorology.\n<\/p>\n

Additional PG&E Safety Measures <\/b><\/p>\n

\nDue to the drought-intensified conditions including extremely dry fuel conditions and the receptivity of those fuels to ignite and spread quickly, even without major winds, PG&E is taking additional steps to further mitigate the potential for equipment-sparked wildfires.\n<\/p>\n

\n\u201cWe\u2019re learning from other utilities and leaders battling this threat in the U.S. and on other continents, and are leveraging new technologies, better data analysis, more hardened equipment and more tree trimming to reduce risk of wildfire. We\u2019re delivering on our 2021 Wildfire Mitigation Plan objectives and are taking even more steps to manage the extreme drought and fuel conditions. These actions will help keep our customers and communities safe,\u201d said Sumeet Singh, PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer.\n<\/p>\n

\nPG&E\u2019s additional measures include:\n<\/p>\n