September 24, 2018 – Given the dramatic wildfire threat our communities face this year, PG&E is taking immediate action to ensure the safety of our customers, their neighborhoods and the surrounding community. PG&E Vegetation Management Crews are taking urgent action to create even greater safety clearances between trees and power lines in neighborhoods and communities that face the most extreme wildfire-threat.
To support this effort, PG&E will be using helicopters to patrol electric lines in areas of Sierra, Nevada, Placer and El Dorado counties that are in extreme fire threat areas defined by the CPUC High Fire Threat map.
Helicopters patrolling the electric lines will be leaving out of the Auburn Airport and typically fly Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Foresters will be in the helicopters, which will be flying low and following electric lines, in order to look for vegetation near electric lines in high fire-threat areas.
This work, which is part of our overall Community Wildfire Safety Program, includes critical wildfire vegetation safety work to reduce the risk of vegetation coming into contact with electric lines in neighborhoods and communities that face the highest wildfire risk.
PG&E wants its customers to be completely informed and will be communicating and working with all affected customers to get this work done as safety and quickly as possible. Customers can call 1-877-295-4949 for more information or email wildfiresafety@pge.com.