Experts reveal a surge in power grid faults coincided with major wildfires in Los Angeles, raising concerns about safety measures.
Los Angeles: So, it turns out that just before those wildfires kicked off, there was a big spike in power grid faults. A company called Whisker Labs, which keeps an eye on electrical activity, noticed this trend. They found that the faults were happening right in the areas where the fires broke out.
Bob Marshall, the CEO of Whisker Labs, shared that they have a network of sensors all over the city. These sensors can detect electrical faults caused by things like tree branches touching power lines. It’s pretty cool tech that helps monitor the grid closely.
Marshall explained that these faults can happen for various reasons, like equipment failures or even high winds. And guess what? When the fires started, those Santa Ana winds were really blowing through Los Angeles.
According to their data, in the Palisades area, there were 63 faults just a couple of hours before the fire ignited. That’s a lot! And during the hour the fire started, they recorded 18 faults. The damage has been severe, with thousands of homes affected and a rising death toll.
For the Eaton Fire, they noted 317 faults before it started, and for the Hurst Fire, there were about 230. On a normal day, these faults are pretty rare, so this spike is alarming.
Marshall mentioned that sparks from these faults can easily ignite dry vegetation, especially with strong winds fanning the flames. Investigators are still trying to figure out what exactly caused the wildfires, but these power grid faults might be a key piece of the puzzle.
He was clear, though, that they can’t say for sure if the faults caused the fires. They just know there was a noticeable increase in faults in those areas. Plus, it seems like the power wasn’t shut off quickly enough when those faults started rising.
Whisker Labs has talked to utility companies about using their data, but it’s not being shared yet. Right now, their sensors help homeowners by alerting them to power surges, which can prevent house fires. They’ve got a million of these sensors across the U.S.
Marshall explained that these sensors can prevent a significant number of house fires by notifying homeowners when there’s a fault. They take millions of electrical measurements every second, using AI to detect issues.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power didn’t turn off the power ahead of the wildfires, which is a common practice among other California power companies. They have some safety measures in place, but it seems like they didn’t go far enough this time.
