Eaton Fire’s origin is under scrutiny as videos suggest a transmission tower may be to blame
Fire officials traced the start of the Eaton Fire back to January 7, but they’re still trying to figure out exactly what caused it. There’s a lot of chatter about whether one of those high-voltage towers might have sparked the blaze.
Brendan Thorn, a local resident, saw flames near the tower and stayed behind while his family evacuated. He mentioned seeing investigators still checking things out around the towers.
So far, three lawsuits have been filed against Southern California Edison, claiming they didn’t do enough to prevent the fire by not shutting down their equipment or clearing the brush.
The CEO of Edison’s parent company said they did shut off power to some lines before the fire but left the transmission lines on because they can handle strong winds. That night, winds were crazy, hitting nearly 100 mph.
He also mentioned that their monitoring didn’t show any electrical issues before the fire started, but they’re still looking into it.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is investigating how the fire began. The Eaton Fire has burned over 14,000 acres and is about 45% contained, with at least 16 lives lost.
While most wildfires are caused by people, utilities can sometimes be responsible too. Past incidents, like the Camp Fire, have shown how dangerous it can be when transmission lines are involved.
Experts say the investigation will focus on the transmission tower and its condition. They’ll check if it was energized and if there was any debris around that could have caused a spark.
Transmission towers are much taller than the poles that deliver power to homes, and they’re built to withstand harsh weather. But deciding when to shut them down is a big deal, as it can affect a lot of people.
Edison has been inspecting its lines and spending big bucks to reduce wildfire risks. They’re using advanced technology to check for issues that might not be visible to the naked eye.
Residents like Brendan are left wondering what could have been done differently to prevent the fire. He’s relieved his home survived, but others nearby weren’t so lucky.
Pedro Rojas, another local, recorded the fire as it started. He was watching TV when a neighbor warned him about the flames. He couldn’t believe how quickly things escalated.
Jeffrey Ku, who lives nearby, described the chaos as “34 minutes of terror.” They managed to evacuate safely, but it was a close call.
Now, they’re all trying to pick up the pieces and recover from this devastating experience. It’s going to be a tough road ahead, but they’re determined to come out stronger.
