PG&E Says Its Equipment May Have Sparked NorCal Fire

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Pacific Gas & Electric equipment may have sparked the Dixie Fire burning in Northern California, according to a report released by the utility over the weekend.

The fire has charred about 30,074 of wilderness and is among dozens of wildfires raging in the West, where vegetation is parched from drought conditions.

Earlier this month, a repair man reportedly spotted what he suspected to be a blown fuse while he was responding to an outage in Feather River Canyon off of Highway 70 in Oroville. Due to rough terrain and road work, the worker could not reach the pole for several hours, the utility said. By the time he reached the area, two or three blown fuses may have sparked a fire at the base of a healthy green tree leaning on the pole that held the conductor.

The Dixie Fire sparked on July 14, a day after the utility's repair man discovered the flawed equipment. It was 15 percent contained as of Monday morning, Cal Fire said.

PG&E equipment has been linked to major wildfires before, including last year's devastating Zogg Fire in Shasta County. The utility issued a statement on May 22 confirming that its equipment sparked the blaze after a Cal Fire investigation.

That wildfire charred 56,338 acres, destroyed 204 structures and killed four people, Cal Fire said.

"The loss of life and devastation in the communities impacted by the Zogg Fire is tragic, and we recognize that nothing can heal the hearts of those who have lost so much. We also thank the courageous first responders who saved lives, protected property and worked to contain and put out the fire," the utility said in May.

The utility has also been linked to a fire that devastated the town of Paradise and killed 85 people.

Overall, about 70 active large fires and complexes of multiple blazes have burned nearly 1,659 square miles (4,297 square kilometers) in the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center said. The U.S. Forest Service said at least 16 major fires were burning in the Pacific Northwest alone.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.