“According to Cal Fire statistics, seven of the top 20 most destructive California wildfires were caused by power lines or arson."
That's nice. Irrelevant, but nice.Do you think that's a new phenomenon? It's not. Also sparks from a vehicle dragging a chain, or which catches fire.
"Overhead power lines are also suspected of being the cause of the Northern Ca. wine country fires as well"
That is quite possible; blown over by sudden winds....
Fleeing the Fires in Sonoma County
The fires started late Sunday night, though I’d seen a fat gray cloud of smoke on Sunday afternoon, out near Napa County Airport. It was a hot day, after a dry, hot summer, with no humidity. Hurricane-force winds kicked up after sunset, the screens knocked from the windows. Some people were awake when the first reports came in, but I went to bed early, still on New York time. My sister woke me up at 3 a.m. with the news that there were multiple fires, spanning Sonoma and Napa Counties; the wind had caused them to spread over thousands of acres in just a few hours. Already, houses were gone, wineries were gone, vineyards were scorched or had disappeared.
newyorker.com |
