Advertisement Cal Fire: PG&E transmission lines caused deadly 2018 Camp Fire

The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history was caused by electrical transmission lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric located in the Pulga area, Cal Fire said Wednesday.The Camp Fire sparked Nov. 8, 2018 and burned 153,336 acres, destroyed 18,804 structures and resulted in the deaths of 85 people. Cal Fire investigators said Wednesday that electrical transmission lines owned and operated by PG&E were the source of the fire in Pulga. A second ignition sight was identified by Cal Fire investigators near the intersection of Concow and Rim roads.The cause of the second fire was determined to be vegetation into electrical distribution lines owned and operated by PG&E, Cal Fire said. This fire was consumed by the original fire, which started earlier near Pulga. The utility released a statement Tuesday in response to Cal Fire's report, which reads in part:"While we have not been able to review CAL FIRE’s report, its determination that PG&E transmission lines near the Pulga area ignited the Camp Fire on the morning of November 8, 2018, is consistent with the company’s previous statements. We have not been able to form a conclusion as to whether a second fire ignited as a result of vegetation contact with PG&E electrical distribution lines, as CAL FIRE also determined. PG&E is fully cooperating with all ongoing investigations concerning the Camp Fire."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In February, PG&E said the company believes it is "probable that its equipment will be determined to be an ignition point of the 2018 Camp Fire."The embattled utility company said then it was taking a $10.5 billion charge for claims connected to the Camp Fire in its fourth quarter earnings.In a December letter to the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E officials said an employee "observed fire in the vicinity" of one of the company's towers and workers called 911 the morning of Nov. 8 -- the day the wildfire ignited.Inspectors later found a broken C-hook and a "flash mark" at that same tower, suggesting a power line broke free and made contact with the tower.Separately, a PG&E employee on Nov. 9 found a “pole and other equipment was on the ground with bullets and bullet holes” at a different location near Flea Mountain.On Nov. 12, an employee found downed wires and damaged and downed poles at Concow and Rim roads, the letter said.PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection in January, saying it faced billions in legal claims from wildfire victims."We remain committed to working together with state agencies and local communities to make our customers and California safer," PG&E said in the statement. "We are actively working toward this commitment through our comprehensive Community Wildfire Safety Program, which includes: Real-time monitoring and intelligence; Enhanced vegetation management practices; Re-inspections of our critical electric infrastructure in high fire-threat areas; Building a more resilient electric system; Proactively shutting down power based on extreme conditions."