Weather & Science
Useless High-Voltage Power Lines Risk Sparking California Fires
A line idle for decades has been accused of starting the LA area’s deadly Eaton Fire.
A firefighter battles the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Jan. 8.
Photographer: Jill Connelly/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Across drought-prone California, high-voltage power lines that haven’t been needed in years hang unused from steel towers — a fire risk hiding in plain sight.
One, near Los Angeles, has been accused of sparking January’s Eaton Fire, which leveled the community of Altadena and killed 17 people. Another, in Northern California Wine Country, triggered a 2019 blaze that destroyed more than 370 structures.