EDITORIAL: Fighting fires by turning off power

March 30--Pacific Gas & Electric, the investor-owned utility that supplies electricity to nearly 16 million customers in Northern and Central California, says it will shut off electricity to some communities during dry and windy conditions to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Until now, PG&E has maintained that turning off the power presented too great a risk to public safety. But Cal Fire is investigating whether the utility's power lines may have been responsible for last October's catastrophic fires in the wine country. Dead trees and vegetation can potentially spark fires when too close to transmission wires during high winds.

The utility previously sustained losses from the 2015 Butte fire in Calaveras and Amador counties that could exceed $1 billion and now faces lawsuits over October's fires.

PG&E told shareholders the losses from the wine country fires may be greater than its $800 million liability insurance policy will cover. Dividend payments were suspended in December to save the company more than $250 million every three months.

Shutting off electricity during dangerous conditions carries its own risks of disaster, leaving those without generators or batteries in the dark and making it harder to get emergency information.

The Public Utilities Commission told all utilities in December to clear vegetation near power lines and equipment, and PG&E says it will go aggressively beyond those requirements.

But its longer-term strategy for dealing with fire liability includes new legislation suggested by the governor's office as part of a fire safety initiative. The legislation would "update liability rules and regulations for utility services in light of changing climate."

That's another way of saying taxpayers or ratepayers will be on the hook for the costs and shareholders can rest easy that their dividends will not be at risk.

Whether it's due to climate change or just climate, California is always at risk of wildfires. Preventing them requires cooperation between the public and private sectors to maintain equipment, clear vegetation, and meet the needs of firefighters. Any change to the law should be preceded by a broad public discussion of the costs and who will bear them.

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