“Pacific Gas & Electric power lines started four Northern California wildfires that burned over 14 square miles last year, California fire officials announced in their first completed investigations into 170 blazes that engulfed the state last fall. Each of the fires in Butte and Nevada counties was caused by trees coming into contact with PG&E power lines, Cal Fire said, and in three of the smaller fires the agency found evidence the utility violated state laws on vegetation management. The potential for lawsuits and prosecution stemming from fire liability is a risk for PG&E, which has seen its stock price lag other utilities since the investigations were announced. The company said it believes its vegetation programs “meet the state’s high standards.””
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