Santa Ana winds + dry = fire

[bradly1101]

Almost every year just as the brush is drying out we get hit with winds strong enough to knock over trees into power lines that spark fires. These aren't natural, lightning-caused fires.

Why don't they shut off the part of the grid that's at risk before the wind gets too strong? Is keeping the power on preferable to a potentially life-threatening fire?

 

[blackdogdeek]

I just have a few questions.

1. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should start?
2. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should end?
3. what criteria are used to determine which grids are subject to brownout?

 

[FleshLight]

I just have a few questions.

1. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should start?
2. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should end?
3. what criteria are used to determine which grids are subject to brownout?

http://www.caiso.com/market/Pages/OutageManagement/Default.aspx

 

[OCGuy]

I really hope I live in your district so that I may vote for you. (not really)

My house almost burnt down a few years ago due to a government welder in Corona, CA causing Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills to burn. The flames ended up 3 feet from sparking the pool deck. It wasn't more than 90 minutes after this picture that the police evacuated and sealed the neighborhood.

 

[bradly1101]

I just have a few questions.

1. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should start?
2. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should end?
3. what criteria are used to determine which grids are subject to brownout?

1. Say above 60mph wind speed.
2. Below 60mph.
3. If brush is dry and trees are near power lines.

Or just bury the lines.

 

[K1052]

Or just bury the lines.

Heh....the utilities aren't exactly lining up to spend millions (or even billions) on something that nets them no revenue.

 

[bradly1101]

I really hope I live in your district so that I may vote for you. (not really)

My house almost burnt down a few years ago due to a government welder in Corona, CA causing Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills to burn. The flames ended up 3 feet from sparking the pool deck. It wasn't more than 90 minutes after this picture that the police evacuated and sealed the neighborhood.

Geez!

I'm on the coast, so luckily out of the direct line of fire, but the smoke and ash still choke us out in the bad years. From 2003:

 

[bradly1101]

Heh....the utilities aren't exactly lining up to spend millions (or even billions) on something that nets them no revenue.

Yes, they won't have anything to do.

 

[Dirigible]

1. Say above 60mph wind speed.
2. Below 60mph.
3. If brush is dry and trees are near power lines.

Those rules are terrible. Ignoring the flickering lights that'll come from rules 1 & 2, how dry is dry? How close is "near"? How do you propose measuring all that over hundreds (thousands?) of miles of power lines, and how often will you measure?

For example, my sapling is two feet tall and right under a power line. It is next to a 2"x3" patch of dry grass that is 1" high. That arguably meets your "brush is dry" and "trees are near power lines" criteria. If someone cut the power because of it I'd be pissed.

 

[bradly1101]

I just have a few questions.

1. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should start?
2. what criteria are used to determine when brownouts should end?
3. what criteria are used to determine which grids are subject to brownout?

For the record, today's fires started with wind gusts that topped 80mph, and it's a very dry year.

 

[bradly1101]

Those rules are terrible. Ignoring the flickering lights that'll come from rules 1 & 2, how dry is dry? How close is "near"? How do you propose measuring all that over hundreds (thousands?) of miles of power lines, and how often will you measure?

For example, my sapling is two feet tall and right under a power line. It is next to a 2"x3" patch of dry grass that is 1" high. That arguably meets your "brush is dry" and "trees are near power lines" criteria. If someone cut the power because of it I'd be pissed.

So fire is worth the hassle.

Obviously I meant trees that could blow over onto lines, and if you live or have traveled the wilds around here, you know what dry brush is. It would be a huge hassle, but my question was, is it worth it not to?

 

[Dirigible]

I have no idea when brownouts would go into effect because your "rules" are not rules at all. I have no idea how much it would cost to monitor all the trees and brush, but I bet it would cost a lot.

Until I see a practical plan, with specifics of when the power will go off and how much all the monitoring will cost, I'm going to say this is a terrible idea.