ProMASS News Bureau: Aug 19, 2016: The raging mountain fire in south California’s San Bernardino has caused massive power outages across the county, while high voltage grids becoming exposed to the fire pose the most serious safety risk. The fire has already damaged over 100 cable towers or poles, leaving thousands of houses with no power in San Bernardino.
Fire departments have warned evacuating civilians to stay clear of power cables while focusing their task on protecting the grids. Strong winds are hampering firefighters’ efforts, while the fire has spread across some 12,000 hectares. Power companies say the power issue cannot be fixed in the short term and have advised residents to be prepared for a blackout that may continue for several more days.
