The number of faults on the power grid near three of the major Los Angeles County fires skyrocketed in the hours before the blazes began, according to Whisker Labs, a company that monitors electrical activity. This new evidence is raising serious questions about the role of the electrical grid in sparking the devastating wildfires that have ravaged the region, suggesting that the grid itself, not just extreme weather, is a major culprit behind the fires.
Bob Marshall, the chief executive of Whisker Labs, spoke exclusively to The LA Times, revealing that the areas near the Eaton, Palisades, and Hurst fires all saw massive increases in faults in the hours leading up to the fires. These faults—caused by everything from tree limbs hitting power lines to wires contacting each other—create sparks that can quickly ignite dry vegetation, setting off catastrophic wildfires in a matter of minutes.
It’s a chilling reality that we have seen unfold time and again: poorly maintained power lines, combined with nature’s fury, lead to a deadly combination that fuels the flames of these modern-day infernos. And the recent findings by Whisker Labs suggest that this very scenario played out in the heart of Los Angeles County.
3 key questions that need to be answered:
Why Didn’t They Turn Off the Power?
Can Insurers Sue the Utility Companies?
Are the Executives Facing Jail Time?
The Perfect Storm of Fire and Power Lines
Let’s start with the Palisades Fire, which has already become one of the most destructive fires in the history of Los Angeles. It spread l across 17,000 acres, destroying more than 5,000 homes, and was fanned by the notorious Santa Ana winds. Winds topping 100 mph created the perfect storm, but what many don’t realize is that a crucial piece of the puzzle was the power lines.
According to Whisker Labs,by the time the fire began to spread like an uncontrollable beast, power lines were already sparking in the area. A similar pattern was observed in the days leading up to the fire, with faults in the power grid reaching dangerous levels just hours before the inferno took hold.
The pattern is clear: the power grid is malfunctioning in the worst possible way, creating a situation where something as simple as a tree branch falling on a wire can trigger a wildfire. And when the winds pick up, those sparks become an unstoppable force of nature, fueled by dry conditions and a climate increasingly prone to extremes.
In October 2017, 250 square miles burned in Northern California, destroying 6,000 homes and businesses and killing 44 people. For now, over SEVEN years later – the cause of these fires has not been determined. The private utility company Pacific Gas and Electric, known to Californians as PG&E, is under investigation. Total damage for the Northern California wildfires comes to $9 billion. PG&E has started stockpiling cash. Why is there no urgency in bringing the power company executives to justice? Had they faced jail terms the Palsidades and Eaton fires may not have happened.
In California, this is a familiar story. Three years ago, in February of 2015,
Like the 2017 fires in Northern California, the cause of the fire that burned our neighborhood, according to the government database, is still under investigation. One source is more likely than others: On that day, strong winds whipped power lines that hung over dry brush.
A power line can start a fire if it breaks in the wind. It can start a fire when a tree or a branch falls across it, or when lines slap together, or when equipment gets old and fails without anyone noticing. In 2015, fires started by electrical lines and equipment burned more acres in California than any other cause. Power lines sparked fires that set records in New Mexico and fed a blaze in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that entered the city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and killed 14 people in 2016. In recent years, they have consistently been among the three major causes of California wildfires.
In 1995, fire-related costs ate up 16 percent of the U.S. Forest Service budget. By 2015, half of the budget was devoted to fire.
PG&E has been found guilty of negligence before in wildfires, and some of us point at negligence and greed again this time.
The Growing Evidence: Other Fires, Same Story
It’s not just the Palisades Fire. A look at other recent major wildfires in the region reveals a troubling pattern. The Eaton and Hurst fires followed the same blueprint—an uptick in electrical faults just before the fires ignited. Once again, tree limbs, poorly maintained power lines, and extreme weather were the toxic mix responsible for causing flames that not only threaten the lives of residents but also leave entire communities in ruins.
But here’s the kicker: these faults, these sparks, aren’t an isolated incident. In fact, the Palisades fire is just the latest in a string of high-profile fires that have been triggered by the grid’s inability to handle the pressures placed on it. Over the years, these electrical malfunctions have led to some of the deadliest fires in California’s history, and the authorities have been slow to act.
Take the infamous 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 85 people. A PG&E power line sparked the fire after being downed by strong winds. PG&E had a history of electrical faults, and the company was later found liable for its role in sparking several catastrophic fires across California. The same pattern repeated itself during the 2020 Zogg Fire, when a tree fell on a PG&E power line and set the surrounding forest ablaze.
The Hidden Danger of Falling Poles and Broken Wires
At the core of this issue is the state of the grid itself. The power lines, the poles, and the infrastructure are outdated and crumbling under the pressures of extreme weather and neglect. With aging infrastructure, more and more poles are collapsing or malfunctioning. Wires come loose, tree limbs fall, and everything that could go wrong does go wrong.
The truth is, the grid was never designed to withstand the kind of weather patterns we’re seeing today. The winds, the heat, the dry conditions—they’re all getting worse, and the grid hasn’t kept up. As a result, power lines are more prone to faults, and those faults, when combined with dry, combustible vegetation, are a recipe for disaster.
While the weather undoubtedly plays a role, it’s the grid’s failure to hold up under these conditions that’s driving these fires to new extremes. Whisker Labs is now sounding the alarm, warning that if the power lines aren’t fixed and upgraded to handle the rigors of modern climate change, we’re looking at an even more dangerous future.
Why didn’t the power company executives turn off the power to prevent the sparks from igniting the fire?
The truth is, they had plenty of warning that the grid was malfunctioning in the hours before the fire started. Whisker Labs data shows a sharp uptick in electrical faults in the hours leading up to the fires, yet no action was taken to shut down the power lines to prevent the inevitable. It’s hard to believe that utility companies didn’t know the risks. If they had acted promptly, would lives have been saved and property spared? The fact that the power was left on suggests negligence at the highest levels.
Are these executives facing jail terms for their negligence? If not, why not?
In California and across the U.S., utility companies have been blamed for previous deadly fires, but the people responsible—usually executives—rarely face any personal consequences. In some cases, the companies settle out of court for enormous sums, but the individuals who made the decisions that led to the deaths of civilians and the destruction of entire towns walk free. Shouldn’t the executives responsible for keeping faulty lines active while knowing the risk face criminal charges? If these companies are allowed to continue operating without accountability, will this cycle of destruction ever end?
Can the State AG and DA impound all phone records and evidence now before the utility company lawyers destroy it?
As soon as the fire ignited, utility company lawyers began to circle, and they’ve been working hard to protect their clients from any legal ramifications. The records, the internal communications, the data from Whisker Labs—this could be key evidence in proving that the fire was a result of grid failure. But there’s a real concern that, given their track record, utility companies may already be trying to destroy or hide critical evidence. The State Attorney General and District Attorney need to step in immediately and seize all phone records and electronic data before it’s too late.
Can insurers be mandated to sue the utilities to recover the $10 billion in direct costs caused by the fire?
Homeowners across California are seeing their insurance premiums skyrocket in the aftermath of the fires, but they’re not the ones who should be footing the bill. The utility companies, who were directly responsible for sparking these fires, should be the ones held financially accountable. What if insurers could be legally compelled to sue these companies on behalf of policyholders to recover the massive costs associated with the fire? This would ensure that the burden doesn’t fall on consumers but rather on the utilities that allowed these catastrophic failures to occur.
Power and Profits: The Bottom Line
But there’s a deeper issue at play here. Utility companies and regulators have known about the risks of poorly maintained power lines for years. Yet, they’ve been slow to act. Why? Because addressing these issues comes with a cost. Overhauling the grid to be more fire-resistant is expensive, and those costs are often passed down to consumers. Meanwhile, utility companies, like PG&E, continue to rack up profits despite their negligence in maintaining the very infrastructure that’s causing these fires.
The public outcry is growing louder as the fires rage on, but will it be enough to force change? It remains to be seen. Until then, we’re left with a dangerous, volatile grid and an ever-increasing risk of more deadly fires. It’s clear now that the power lines themselves—not just the weather—are a major cause of these blazes, and it’s time for the people responsible for them to be held accountable. The next time the winds pick up and the fires spread, will we continue to accept the same old excuses, or will we demand a safer, more resilient power grid?
