As the fires around Los Angeles continue to wreak paths of total destruction, with more than 40,000 acres burned and 12,300 structures destroyed as of Monday, Jan. 13, utilities once again examine options to alleviate the impact of fire on crucial electrical infrastructure and develop protocols to minimize the role power lines might play in exacerbating these infernos.

This year’s hotter temperatures and longer, drier seasons contributed to creating a tinderbox of vegetation that has fueled the rapid spread of wildfires in the Los Angeles area, particularly when driven by powerful Santa Ana winds. However, power lines have contributed to half of the most destructive fires in California history.

The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, a state agency responsible for reducing the chance of utility-involved wildfires, assesses electrical utilities’ Wildfire Mitigation Plans, safety culture assessments, safety certifications and executive compensation structures through field inspections, audits and review of compliance.

Several protocols already in place may help reduce the impact of future fires. For example, Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) can reduce the risk that a utility’s equipment starts a wildfire by turning off the power at times and in locations when weather and other conditions are conducive to equipment failure that could result in fire. Utilities such as Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) have implemented PSPS and have alerted customers to additional likely shutoffs with the recent windstorms to prevent additional wildfires from sparking.

Similarly, utilities can adjust the safety settings on protective equipment (circuit breakers, reclosers and fuses) on power lines to automatically turn off the power when systems detect potential problems, such as something coming into contact with a live line.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) drew a fire threat map that identifies areas of heightened fire risk to aid utilities in planning risk reduction activities, such as vegetation management. CPUC is also evaluating the benefits, costs and challenges of undergrounding more utility lines to safeguard them against fires.

Some technologies for power lines, such as plastic coatings imbued with fire-retardant properties, can help avert fires by dissipating heat and preventing sparks.

Utilities have also invested in fire prevention strategies. For example, PG&E has been modernizing its grid and incorporating batteries and pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) systems.

To address the immediate issue in Los Angeles, PG&E dispatched two Blackhawk helicopters to support Cal Fire in battling the blazes and has mobilized 25 Safety and Infrastructure Protection Team crews to assist the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) with electric and water asset protection by applying fire retardant to poles and other equipment, checking fire-damaged utility equipment and making the area safe for LADWP crews to restore power.

PG&E is also monitoring Red Flag conditions in its service area and has enabled enhanced power line safety settings across circuits in response to the high winds and low humidity from offshore wind that could cause ignitions.  

“We’ve seen gusts above 40 miles per hour in the southern part of our service,” said Evan Duffey, a manager of forecasting and operations for PG&E. “We will continue to closely watch conditions as they develop and provide data-driven information to our field operations team so they can make informed decisions about the grid.”