Watchdog group takes “It’s such a big problem,” he added, he said. “And I know that’s a little noting that the distribution lines at both bit trite and overused in some cases, PG&E to task for failure to the Dixie Fire point of origin and his but it really best describes how we’re site “were built back in the 1950s with approaching a safer grid…. We’re address fire dangers technology and materials that were always looking at new and better available back at that time—and they’ve ways to operate our power grid for never been upgraded or modernized; safety against wildfires.” they’ve just been fixed on an as-needed basis, when something gets really bad Trees for the forest or breaks.” PG&E has pledged to make its grid PG&E’s most conspicuous efforts safer—publicly and to Judge William have centered on “enhanced vegeta- Alsup, who’s overseeing the company’s tion management”—a broad program probation stemming from its role in of trimming, pruning, cutting and the 2016 San Bruno gas line explosion. removing trees. Its site lists a goal of Since then, along with the Camp and completing 1,800 miles by the end Dixie fires, PG&E has taken respon- of the year, out of 2,400 miles total, sibility for last year’s Kincade and to ensure a minimum of 4-foot clear- Zogg fires and the small Bader Fire in ances around power lines. Magalia July 14. The Bader Fire, which McCollum, an arborist, has burned a quarter acre, started when a long taken issue with the selec- tree leaned on a wire and snapped it— tion process of trees targeted for similar to the cause of the Zogg Fire. removal—PG&E’s notably, though Cal Fire determined the also Butte County’s after the Camp started when a transmission tower cable Fire. Courtney told the CN&R that he broke during high winds and arced. challenged, successfully, PG&E tree The , which claimed 85 removals on his mountain property in lives, stemmed from a high-voltage line the wake of the . breaking free from faulty C-hook that The task force’s overriding con- had been in use for nearly a century. cern is proportion: clearance versus A week after the start of the Dixie equipment upgrades. At a point two Fire, PG&E committed to bury 10,000 years ago when Southern miles of power lines underground in Edison had committed to replace “high fire threat districts,” as it has 5,000 miles of bare wire with insulat- promised for Paradise. Spokesman Paul ed and completed 1,200 miles’ worth, Moreno told the CN&R by phone that McCollum said, PG&E was “creeping this is the most recent development in up on” 300 miles. PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety “We want the focus to stop being Program (pge.com/cwsp), a “multifac- on trees as the solution when that’s eted approach” that includes hardening really only 25 percent of the solution,” its distribution network as well as public Nancy Macy, task force chair, said safety power shutoffs (PSPS). “It’s not a destination but a journey,” PG&E CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

PG&E was found responsible for igniting the 2018 Camp Fire and is suspected of causing the cur- rent Dixie Fire, both of which originated in the Feather River Canyon, just a few miles apart. GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 CN&R 25