Blame Utilities for Wildfires. But Blame Everyone Else Too

It’s hard to feel sorry for the California utility PG&E, considering that officials blamed its equipment for starting nearly every major fire in the state in 2017. Last year, it was responsible for igniting the Camp Fire, which killed 85 and destroyed almost 20,000 structures. The problem is typically wind, which jostles electric lines, raining sparks onto parched vegetation below. So just cut the power when it’s particularly hot and dry and windy, right? If only it were so easy.

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