Evan J. LancasterA report filed Monday, Oct. 26 by Southern California Edison to the California Public Utilities Commission will open an investigation regarding the potential role of a “lashing wire” as a cause of the Silverado Fire in Irvine.
The report, obtained by Irvine Weekly, indicates that a component of a telecommunications line, called a lashing wire, may have contacted a SEC power line and ignited the fire.
Here’s the report in full:
“SCE submits this report as it may involve an event that meets the subject of significant public attention or media coverage reporting requirement. Preliminary information reflects SCE overhead electrical facilities are located in the origin area of the Silverado Fire. We have no indication of any circuit activity prior to the report time of the fire, nor downed overhead primary conductors in the origin area. However, it appears that a lashing wire that was attached to an underbuilt telecommunication line may have contact SCE’s overhead primary conductor which may have resulted in the ignition of the fire. The investigation is ongoing.”
As of Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Silverado Fire had burned more than 13,000 acres. While crews have been able to establish a 25 percent containment around the fire, thanks to the help of ground crews and air support, mandatory evacuations in Irvine still remain in place.
In a phone interview with Irvine Weekly, Southern California Edison Spokesperson Chris Abel, explained that SCE will cooperate with the Orange County Fire Authority to determine the exact cause of the fire.
“SCE understands this is a difficult time for the many people being impacted by the Silverado Fire, our top priority is the safety of customers, employees and communities,” Abel said. “On Monday, we submitted an electric safety incident report to the California Public Utilities Commission — we reported the incident despite seeing no activity on the 12-KV circuit nor any down power lines, because it appears a lashing wire attached to a telecommunications line may have contacted SCE’s power line about it, possibly starting the fire.”
A lashing wire, which does not carry an electrical current is one-third of a telecommunications line, according to Abel.
“Telecommunication wires have three components, there’s the cable itself, the support wire and the lashing wire winds around and hold them together,” he said. “Telecommunication lines are third party owned, and they are below our power lines.”
The Silverado fire started in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct 26, and quickly forced the evacuations of more than 70,000 homes between Irvine and Lake Forest.
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