Fire Risks
Lakeland Village: 12 November 2006
Why LEAPS is not economically viable
What credible persons and agencies say
Lies, Inaccuracies, and Misleading Statements
On 12 November 2006, a fire broke out on the on the slopes above Lake Elsinore near highway 74 (See The Californian). The fire exemplifies the concerns local residents should have about the siting of transmission lines near the location of this fire.
Photograph of Lake Elsinore fire on 12 November taken near Collier Elementary in Wildomar
The problem is not so much whether transmission lines start fires; rather, its how they constrain the response of fire fighters. The smoke from a fire can short-circuit to the ground, similar to a bolt of lighting. Thus, if a fire approaches these lines, firefighters have to stand back and wait for it to burn through. (See the Californian 4/8/02, "Official says power line poses fire risk for all")
While the fire burns through the route of the power lines, firefighters can lose control of the fire. Remember what happened in San Diego a few years ago? Fire spread from home to home, crossing roadways as wide as Grand Ave.
