GEYSERVILLE, Calif. (Reuters) – A wind-driven wildfire that forced some 2,000 residents to flee their homes in Northern California’s wine country on Thursday erupted near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co, utility and fire officials said.
The company, a unit of bankrupt holding company PG&E Corp (PCG.N), acknowledged in an “electric safety incident” report filed with the California Public Utilities Commission that one of its power lines malfunctioned at about the time and location of the fire’s origin on Wednesday night.
The report said a PG&E technician inspecting the site on Thursday found the area taped off by state fire department personnel who brought to his attention “what appeared to be a broken jumper on the same tower.”
Here we go again.