Here's how PG&E's power lines undergrounding project is going in wildfire-prone Foresthill
FORESTHILL — With triple-digit fire weather top of mind, some people who live in wildfire-prone areas like Foresthill in Placer County are getting their power lines put underground by Pacific Gas and Electric—and some are not.
Mike Howard owns a home on one acre of property in Foresthill. He's had several close calls and mandatory evacuations in the ten years since moving there.
"Which is kind of scary," Howard said. "There's not a lot of ways out of here. Foresthill Road is the main road out."
Howard just got a postcard alert from PG&E.
"It says that they're having a meeting to discuss the underground plans," Howard said.
PG&E crews can be seen even in these triple-digit temperatures all around Howard's home burying power lines.
Skip Rugne lives in Foresthill two miles away and got a different piece of mail from PG&E.
"It basically said we have put the project for underground power lines on hold," Rugne said.
PG&E is not burying lines on his street.
The 2022 Mosquito Fire is seared into this Foresthill community. PG&E is facing a lawsuit and investigation over allegations a transmission line started the fire that forced 11,000 people to evacuate.
Mark Toney is the executive director of The Utility Reform Network, or TURN. Toney said that PG&E should be covering more power lines above ground.
He said that PG&E's effort to put 10,000 miles of power lines underground is too slow and costly. The state has authorized the utility company to bury only 1,300 miles by 2026.
"It's delaying safety and costing a fortune," Toney said. "If you are in a place that's waiting to be buried, maybe you're not in this four-year round. Maybe you'll be in the next four years or maybe after."
A new bill was introduced this year by state Senator Bill Dodd. It would require PG&E to use "timelines of upgrades" in their plans to reduce wildfire risk.