• Nuns: Broken top of a tree crashed into power lines.
• Norrbom: Tree fell onto power lines.
• Adobe: Tree fell into PG&E power line.
• Partrick: Oak tree fell into PG&E power lines.
• Pythian: The fire started with a downed power line caused after PG&E tried to re-energize the line.
Atlas fire (Napa County): 783 structures burned, 51,624 acres burned, 6 deaths; referred to the District Attorney. The fire started Oct. 8 in two locations when a large limb broke from a tree and came into contact with PG&E power lines and a tree fell onto the same line.
Blue fire (Humboldt County): 20 acres burned; referred to the District Attorney. A PG&E power line conductor separated from a connector, causing the conductor to fall to the ground and start a fire.
Cherokee fire (Butte County): 6 structures destroyed, 8,417 acres burned. Fire started when tree limbs made contact with PG&E power lines.
La Porte fire (Butte County): 6,151 acres burned and 74 structures destroyed. Fire started early Oct. 9 when tree branches fell into PG&E power lines. Investigators found no state law violations.
McCourtney fire (Nevada County): 76 acres burned; 13 structures destroyed; referred to the District Attorney. Fire started Oct. 8 when tree fell into PG&E power lines. Investigators determined PG&E failed to remove a tree too close to a power line.
Lobo fire (Nevada County): 821 acres burned; 47 structures destroyed; referred to the District Attorney. Fire started Oct. 8, caused by a tree contacting PG&E power lines. Investigators found PG&E failed to ensure adequate clearance between trees and power lines.
Honey fire (Butte County): 76 acres burned; referred to the District Attorney. Fire started Oct. 9 when an oak branch contacted PG&E power lines. Investigators found PG&E failed to ensure adequate clearance between trees and power lines.
*Those cases referred to the District Attorney indicate Cal Fire determined PG&E was in violation of state codes, most related to clearing tress and other vegetation from power lines.
Contreras said the company is “further cutting back vegetation and expanding safety clearance around power lines in neighborhoods and communities that face the greatest wildfire risk.” PG&E will “do everything we can to address this growing risk and help keep our customers and communities safe,” she said.
Geisha Williams, chief executive officer for PG&E — California’s largest utility, providing gas and electric service to 16 customers people across 70,000 square miles — has said climate change is fueling the hot and dry conditions making way for mega-fires.
California nearly exhausted its current annual wildfire budget in July and August alone. On July 23, the Carr fire in Shasta County ignited with a spark from a flat tire, burning nearly 230,000 acres, destroying 1,079 homes and killing eight people, including three workers engaged in the fire response. Four days later, the largest wildfire in California history — the Ranch fire — started near Potter Valley and scorched 410,203 acres in Mendocino, Lake, Colusa and Glenn counties. Its cause remains under investigation.