A surveillance video and witness accounts have raised questions about the origin of the Eaton Fire in Pasadena, California, which may have been started by a downed power line. Cal Fire has obtained the video, but the owner has refused to release it while the investigation is ongoing.
The footage shows power lines running through Eaton Canyon arcing in high winds on Tuesday just after 6 p.m., sparking a fire that quickly spread. A photo taken at 6:21 p.m. shows the early stages of the fire.
Residents, including Brendan Thorn and Harry Kertenian, who live near the canyon, have come forward with similar accounts of seeing power lines sparking before the fire started. Thorn claims his power flickered around 6:10 p.m., and a neighbor reported a fire under the power lines just minutes later.
Kertenian, who has lived in the area for over two decades, believes that prescribed burns to remove flammable brush from beneath the power lines have not been performed in years. He argues that if the brush is clear, the risk of sparks spreading in high winds is minimized.
The investigation is ongoing, with Southern California Edison stating that their equipment does not believe to be involved in the fire’s origin. However, Kertenian and others in the area express concern that dry debris and dead brush have accumulated in the canyon, providing fuel for the fire.
As the search for the origin of the Eaton Fire continues, residents are left wondering how such a disaster could have been prevented with proper maintenance and prevention measures.
Source: https://abc7.com/post/california-wildfire-cause-eaton-fire-may-downed-power-line-witness-says/15788334