Record wildfire threats like winds, drought, and heat take the wildfire fight much farther that utilities, forcing California to pick when and where to fight utilities.
Since 2017, California has had 13 of its 20 most destructive fires , seven of its 20 deadliest fires , average temperature is up almost 3°F and it’s eight warmest years have been since 2010, North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS) Research Scientist Laura Stevens told Utility Dive.
California’s utilities and firefighting agencies are working to address the daunting statewide challenge. All of their work “can probably never be enough, but we are doing what is within our capability to prevent fires,” CalFire Battalion Chief and spokesperson Captain Jon Heggie said.