Sign up for the Guardian Today US newsletterA northern California wildfire that killed four people and destroyed more than 200 buildings last year was sparked when tree branches came into contact with Pacific Gas & Electric power lines, officials have said. PG&E officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment late on Monday. PG&E, the US’s largest utility, emerged from bankruptcy stemming from the financial fallout from several wildfires caused by its utility equipment in recent years. Combined, the fires killed more than 100 people and destroyed more than 27,000 homes and other buildings in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, PG&E began conducting widespread preventative power shutoffs during the fire season in regions of California either experiencing extreme fire weather or in danger of wildfire spread.

Source: The Guardian March 23, 2021 18:33 UTC