Utah Fire Threatens Power Lines to California, Nevada
Dry, swirling winds on Saturday fanned a 2,900-acre brush fire that inched close to power lines that carry electricity to Southern California and parts of Nevada, including Las Vegas.
Bulldozers cut several concentric fire lines around the Mona Substation in central Utah, hoping to keep the flames away from it and two 345,000-volt power lines that feed the Los Angeles basin and some communities in Nevada.
Two 230,000-volt lines providing power to dozens of communities in southern Utah, Nevada and Arizona also were threatened, said David Eskelsen of Utah Power, which owns the substation.
By Saturday evening, the fire had begun to change direction. But officials said it could shift again.
The amount of power flowing through each of the higher-voltage lines provides enough electricity for about 35,000 homes. Damage to the substation or lines could result in an outage ranging from a “minor flicker to a blackout of a few hours,” Eskelsen said.
Los Angeles and Las Vegas also receive electricity from dozens of other sources.
A dry lightning storm apparently ignited the blaze Tuesday when it passed over the area, 65 miles south of Salt Lake City.
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