# Breaking News: The West coast is on Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512 "2020-08-19T19:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/262 "2020-10-25T19:03:40Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > It must really suck to live in what’s functionally a 3rd-world country. > > Most of the Western world has no need to turn off the electricity in order to try to prevent wildfires. That post is off topic, and not appropriate for MPTIMS. This is a note, not a warning, but don’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/263 "2020-10-25T21:04:07Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I really hope we get some rain soon. It looks like shaping to be an October with no rain whatsoever. While not technically the first time this has happened, it’s pretty rare to go the entire month of October without any rain at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/264 "2020-10-25T21:55:00Z")
There is a point worth addressing, which is the technology Australia uses on their power lines. In short, many of their distribution lines have fault detector and interrupter devices, similar to the arc fault interrupters for household circuits. If they detect a fault, the line shuts down fast enough to prevent it from starting a fire most of the time. Now, the users on that line do still experience a blackout. The lines are still fundamentally sensitive to high winds. But they don’t have to preemptively shut down the power, and the blackout covers a smaller area. It would be a definite improvement over the current state of affairs. So while characterizing it as a 3rd world grid is way over the top, California could do better. It’s fairly new technology but it seems to work well in Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/265 "2020-10-26T00:07:44Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > That post is off topic, and not appropriate for MPTIMS. This is a note, not a warning, but don’t do it again. On the contrary–it is PRECISELY on target. > Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) said Sunday that it’s planning to shut off power to 361,000 customers in 36 counties beginning Sunday morning because of high winds and the “driest conditions of the season.” > **[Power Shutoffs: Electricity restored to 97% of customers](https://abc7news.com/northern-california-power-outage-pge-pg-and-e-pge-map/7386091/)** > > PG&E says it has restored power to more than 335,000 customers, and expects full restoration Wednesday morning. There is only ONE reason why they’re doing that–to try to prevent yet more fires. I suggest that you bother to pay attention to what’s going on around you. That way, you won’t look like an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/267 "2020-10-26T03:15:16Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > > [@puzzlegal](#): > > > > That post is off topic, and not appropriate for MPTIMS. This is a note, not a warning, but don’t do it again. > > On the contrary–it is PRECISELY on target. > > > Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) said Sunday that it’s planning to shut off power to 361,000 customers in 36 counties beginning Sunday morning because of high winds and the “driest conditions of the season.” > > [PG&E Power Shutoffs: Electricity restored to 97% of customers - ABC7 San Francisco](https://abc7news.com/northern-california-power-outage-pge-pg-and-e-pge-map/7331596/) > > There is only ONE reason why they’re doing that–to try to prevent yet more fires. > > I suggest that you bother to pay attention to what’s going on around you. That way, you won’t look like an idiot. **Moderator Warning** Ok **Bootb** , that’s a three-fer. This is an official warning for insults, ignoring moderator instructions, and disputing moderation outside of ATMB. If you continue to post in this manner you will find your posting privileges under discussion. You are also instructed not to post further in this thread, Colibri Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/268 "2020-10-26T21:14:45Z")
I think we’re squeaking through this wind event without the widespread fires that were feared. Some areas were told to preemptively evacuate, due to poor options for rapid exit. It looks like those areas have made it through. I hate the power outages, but they very well may have played a large role here in public safety. I do not let PG&E off the hook for the unsuitability of their infrastructure. They’ve caused too much death and destruction. I hope we’ll finally get some change. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/269 "2020-10-27T03:01:47Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I hope we’ll finally get some change. Has there been any noise about PGE using fault detector/interrupter devices that @Dr.Strangelove describes? That seems like the only path forward that fixes this indiscriminate PSPS issue that we live under in CA. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/270 "2020-10-27T03:10:37Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Has there been any noise about PGE using fault detector/interrupter devices that @Dr.Strangelove describes? A little bit. The article I got that from: > **[How Tech From Australia Could Prevent California Wildfires and PG&E...](https://spectrum.ieee.org/breaking-pges-cycle-of-blackouts-and-wildfires)** > > Technology developed to combat Australia’s deadly bushfires could slash California’s fire risk and reduce the need for PG&E’s “public safety power shutoffs” The technology is called a [Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter](https://www.powercor.com.au/safety/bushfire-mitigation-program/rapid-earth-fault-current-limiter/). Interestingly, I see that PG&E put out a contract opportunity for installation at the Calistoga substation last year: [https://www.pge.com/pge\_global/common/pdfs/for-our-business-partners/purchasing-program/bid-opportunities/2019-COA-RFP-EPIC-Program-Test-Trailer.pdf](https://www.pge.com/pge_global/common/pdfs/for-our-business-partners/purchasing-program/bid-opportunities/2019-COA-RFP-EPIC-Program-Test-Trailer.pdf) This news item seems to indicate that the installation is ongoing: [https://www.pgecurrents.com/2020/08/25/pge-tests-and-demonstrates-new-technologies-on-electric-grid-to-increase-safety-further-mitigate-wildfire-risk/](https://www.pgecurrents.com/2020/08/25/pge-tests-and-demonstrates-new-technologies-on-electric-grid-to-increase-safety-further-mitigate-wildfire-risk/) So… maybe we’ll see progress in a few years if the tests all go well. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/271 "2020-10-27T03:14:57Z")
Wow, thanks for the immediate news roundup – In 8 minutes flat, @Dr.Strangelove, very impressive and thank you!!! Hopefully we’ll see fruits of this, but I think the tech uptake will take quite some time as you say. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/272 "2020-10-27T03:28:03Z")
Sure thing. It would be nice if they moved a little faster–after all, the tech is proven. I’d prefer they just deployed it at a small number of high risk sites. Could hardly be worse than the current state of affairs. It feels like PG&E is being a little too careful–they already have a bad reputation, so they probably don’t want to make things worse by moving too quickly, even if the risk of something bad happening is actually lower. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/273 "2020-10-27T03:38:51Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I’d prefer they just deployed it at a small number of high risk sites. Isn’t that the problem? We have widespread PSPS’s because PGE’s not sure in a granular way what lines are risky, so they shut down broad swaths. They may not know how to target the new tech. Not excusing them. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/274 "2020-10-27T03:52:50Z")
Well, they aren’t shutting down all of California–so they have some idea which lines are riskier than others. Pick some subset of those, install the equipment, and keep a close eye on them. That said, I get that they can’t just wing it, and may even be legally obligated to go through some extended process. It’s promising to know that they’re working on it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/275 "2020-12-03T17:49:18Z")
Starting again. [Fire and evacuations down in Orange county](https://abc7.com/silverado-canyon-brush-fire-orange-county-authority/8459215/). And no sign of rain relief yet anytime in December 😧. After a couple year break looks like another drought is looming. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/276 "2020-12-03T19:20:51Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > After a couple year break looks like another drought is looming. Agree. For those not in CA, for perspective: in my area of Northern CA, we have had 1-2 days of measurable rain since March (amounting to less than 1 inch of rain) - basically since the pandemic started affecting life here - about 8 months. That’s how dry 2020 has been. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512/277 "2020-12-04T01:28:43Z")
I don’t bother watering my backyard because the neighbors can’t see it anyway. Normally by December there’s been enough rain that it’s starting to turn green again. Currently it is still brown. I suppose the slight upside is that I don’t have to mow it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-the-west-coast-is-on-fire/918512.md?page=13)