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Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle
Downed power pole along Bennett Lane in Calistoga, seen in October after the fires.
Downed power pole along Bennett Lane in Calistoga, seen in October after the fires.
Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle
PG&E crews restoring electricity top of a blackened hill on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in Sonoma.
PG&E crews restoring electricity top of a blackened hill on Monday, Oct. 16, 2017 in Sonoma.
Photo: Paul Kuroda, Special To The Chronicle
Gary Sheperson, PG&E; cable splicer and Jared Rubio, PG&E; apprentice cable splicer, work to restore a main power line along Deer Hollow Drive on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 in Napa.
Gary Sheperson, PG&E; cable splicer and Jared Rubio, PG&E; apprentice cable splicer, work to restore a main power line along Deer Hollow Drive on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 in Napa.
Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle
Jeanette Scroggins pauses while searching for signs of her aunt, Karen Aycock, who has been missing since the Tubbs fire roared through her Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017.
lessJeanette Scroggins pauses while searching for signs of her aunt, Karen Aycock, who has been missing since the Tubbs fire roared through her Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10,
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Flames roar through a historic building at the Stags Leap Winery during a fast moving wind whipped wild fire raged though the Napa/Sonoma wine region in NAPA, CALIFORNIA, USA 9 Oct 2017. Multiple fire that erupted in Napa, Sonoma, Calistoga and the Santa Rosa area have burned homes and wineries. Mandatory evacuations have be displaced hundreds of residents through out the area.
lessFlames roar through a historic building at the Stags Leap Winery during a fast moving wind whipped wild fire raged though the Napa/Sonoma wine region in NAPA, CALIFORNIA, USA 9 Oct 2017. Multiple fire that
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Steph Gediman, (left) comforts Brandi Burns in front of Burns' destroyed at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses on Monday October 9, 2017
lessSteph Gediman, (left) comforts Brandi Burns in front of Burns' destroyed at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties
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A ranch home along Hwy. 12 burned out of control as a fast moving wind whipped wild fire raged though the Napa/Sonoma wine region in NAPA, CALIFORNIA, USA 9 Oct. 2017. Multiple fire have erupted in Napa, Sonoma, Calistoga and the Santa Rosa area, burning homes and wineries. Mandatory evacuations have be displaced hundreds of residents through out the area.
lessA ranch home along Hwy. 12 burned out of control as a fast moving wind whipped wild fire raged though the Napa/Sonoma wine region in NAPA, CALIFORNIA, USA 9 Oct. 2017. Multiple fire have erupted in Napa,
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Evacuee Junior Gomez, 11, sits with his puppy Smoky, 2 months at a Red Cross shelter after evacuating his home with his parents following the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Evacuee Junior Gomez, 11, sits with his puppy Smoky, 2 months at a Red Cross shelter after evacuating his home with his parents following the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle
A CalFire helicopter flies by the setting sun after picking up more water to drop on a smoldering area as the Partrick Fire continue to burn slowly east of Sonoma, Calif., on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The Napa and Sonoma valleys continue to be under threat from several fires not yet under control and growing fears that strong winds might worsen the situation.
lessA CalFire helicopter flies by the setting sun after picking up more water to drop on a smoldering area as the Partrick Fire continue to burn slowly east of Sonoma, Calif., on Thursday, October 12, 2017. The
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The "Love" sculpture at Paradise Ridge Winery was singed but otherwise not damaged by the Tubbs Fire, which leveled the Santa Rosa winery. Peter Byck, whose brother, Rene, runs the winery said, "The temple behind the 'Love' sculpture is the temple of remembrance, which is to remember those we've lost."
lessThe "Love" sculpture at Paradise Ridge Winery was singed but otherwise not damaged by the Tubbs Fire, which leveled the Santa Rosa winery. Peter Byck, whose brother, Rene, runs the winery said, "The temple
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A laundromat inside the Journey's End mobile home park burns during a the Tubbs fire on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
A laundromat inside the Journey's End mobile home park burns during a the Tubbs fire on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle
Terrie Burns stands in the middle of her destroyed at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses on Monday October 9, 2017
lessTerrie Burns stands in the middle of her destroyed at the scene of the Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday,
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A couple waits in vain to be escorted to pick up possessions from their home inside an evacuation zone on October 11, 2017 in Napa, California. Escorts to were called for the rest of the day due to lack of available officers. In one of the worst wildfires in state history, more than 2,000 homes have burned and at least 21 people were killed as more than 14 wildfires continue to spread with little containment in eight Northern California counties.
lessA couple waits in vain to be escorted to pick up possessions from their home inside an evacuation zone on October 11, 2017 in Napa, California. Escorts to were called for the rest of the day due to lack of
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Michael Hanrahan photographed the smoke over San Francisco from Hawk Hill on Oct. 9, 2017. As wildfires burn in the North Bay, smoke is pouring into the Central and South Bay Area.
Michael Hanrahan photographed the smoke over San Francisco from Hawk Hill on Oct. 9, 2017. As wildfires burn in the North Bay, smoke is pouring into the Central and South Bay Area.
A #SonomaProud sign in downtown Sonoma during the Tubbs Fire on Thursday, October 12, 2107
A #SonomaProud sign in downtown Sonoma during the Tubbs Fire on Thursday, October 12, 2107
A view of Journey's End mobile home after the Tubbs fire tore through the property on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
A view of Journey's End mobile home after the Tubbs fire tore through the property on Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle
The remains of the homes in the Coffey Park neighborhood are seen from the air in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
The remains of the homes in the Coffey Park neighborhood are seen from the air in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
Photo: Elijah Nouvelage, Special To The Chronicle
A primary school classroom at St. Rose School is seen with damages caused by the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.
A primary school classroom at St. Rose School is seen with damages caused by the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.
Photo: Alex Washburn, The Chronicle
Evacuee Martha Lynn rests with her dogs Broonzy (not pictured) and Golly (right) at a Red Cross shelter after evacuating her home following the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Evacuee Martha Lynn rests with her dogs Broonzy (not pictured) and Golly (right) at a Red Cross shelter after evacuating her home following the Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017.
Photo: Gabrielle Lurie, The Chronicle
Gabriel Castillo and wife Alea Kelleher embrace while sifting through the remains of their Santa Rosa, Calif., home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. The two escaped along with their 13 month-old daughter, but lost their house as the Tubbs fire roared through the neighborhood early Monday morning.
lessGabriel Castillo and wife Alea Kelleher embrace while sifting through the remains of their Santa Rosa, Calif., home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. The two escaped along with their 13 month-old daughter, but lost
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Phil Rush walks through the burnt remains at the site of his home destroyed by fires in Santa Rosa, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. Wildfires tearing through California’s wine country continued to expand Wednesday, destroying hundreds more homes and structures and prompting new evacuation orders.
lessPhil Rush walks through the burnt remains at the site of his home destroyed by fires in Santa Rosa, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. Wildfires tearing through California’s wine country continued to expand
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Karen Balestieri and Heidi Facciano (left to right) marvel at a pond of live koi fish which survived the Tubbs fire in the neighborhood referred to by locals as 'old fountaingrove' in Santa Rosa, Ca. on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.
lessKaren Balestieri and Heidi Facciano (left to right) marvel at a pond of live koi fish which survived the Tubbs fire in the neighborhood referred to by locals as 'old fountaingrove' in Santa Rosa, Ca. on
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Arilyn Edwards, 6, stands beside her bike in front of the rubble of her Santa Rosa home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. The bike, which was a gift for her 6th birthday on Oct. 6, was destroyed as fire ripped through her neighborhood early Monday morning.
lessArilyn Edwards, 6, stands beside her bike in front of the rubble of her Santa Rosa home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. The bike, which was a gift for her 6th birthday on Oct. 6, was destroyed as fire ripped through
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FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2017, file photo,Todd Caughey hugs his daughter Ella as they visit the site of their home destroyed by fires in Kenwood, Calif. For many residents in the path of one of California's deadliest blazes, talk is of wind direction, evacuations and goodbyes. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
lessFILE - In this Oct. 10, 2017, file photo,Todd Caughey hugs his daughter Ella as they visit the site of their home destroyed by fires in Kenwood, Calif. For many residents in the path of one of California's
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April Lee views a burned home in Santa Rosa in California on October 10, 2017. Firefighters battled wildfires in California's wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless in neighborhoods reduced to ashes.
lessApril Lee views a burned home in Santa Rosa in California on October 10, 2017. Firefighters battled wildfires in California's wine region on Tuesday as the death toll rose to 15 and thousands were left homeless
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A Cal Fire firefighter works on hot spots on a hill in the Oakmont area of Santa Rosa, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. Gusting winds and dry air forecast for Thursday could drive the next wave of devastating wildfires that are already well on their way to becoming the deadliest and most destructive in California history.
lessA Cal Fire firefighter works on hot spots on a hill in the Oakmont area of Santa Rosa, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. Gusting winds and dry air forecast for Thursday could drive the next wave of devastating
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Ned and Vivien MacDonald post a sign thanking firefighters and police officers on Bennett Valley Rd. near Santa Rosa, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. The fire charred part of their 450 acres, but the couple credited firefighters with saving their home which dates back to 1900.
lessNed and Vivien MacDonald post a sign thanking firefighters and police officers on Bennett Valley Rd. near Santa Rosa, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. The fire charred part of their 450 acres, but the couple
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The body of a cow that died in the Atlas Fire is seen in Soda Canyon on October 11, 2017 near Napa, California. In one of the worst wildfires in state history, more than 2,000 homes have burned and at least 21 people have been killed as more than 14 wildfires continue to spread with little containment in eight Northern California counties.
lessThe body of a cow that died in the Atlas Fire is seen in Soda Canyon on October 11, 2017 near Napa, California. In one of the worst wildfires in state history, more than 2,000 homes have burned and at least 21
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Keith Norris shows what his car destroyed in the fire looked like before the fire, in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses on Monday October 9, 2017
lessKeith Norris shows what his car destroyed in the fire looked like before the fire, in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday,
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A woman walks past a store wearing a bandana as a mask to protect herself from the smoke Oct. 9, 2017 in Napa, Calif. A fire tore through the area on the evening of Oct. 8, destroying properties and vineyards.
A woman walks past a store wearing a bandana as a mask to protect herself from the smoke Oct. 9, 2017 in Napa, Calif. A fire tore through the area on the evening of Oct. 8, destroying properties and vineyards.
Photo: Leah Millis, The Chronicle
Maria Norris and her husband Keith lost their home in the fire, in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses on Monday October 9, 2017
lessMaria Norris and her husband Keith lost their home in the fire, in Santa Rosa, Ca., on Monday October 9, 2017. Massive wildfires ripped through Napa and Sonoma counties early Monday, destroying hundreds of
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An abandoned pair of boots lay outside a destroyed home off Soda Canyon Road Oct. 9, 2017 in Napa, Calif. A fire tore through the area on the evening of Oct. 8, destroying properties and vineyards.
An abandoned pair of boots lay outside a destroyed home off Soda Canyon Road Oct. 9, 2017 in Napa, Calif. A fire tore through the area on the evening of Oct. 8, destroying properties and vineyards.
A staircase stands at a home leveled by the Tubbs fire in the Fountaingrove area of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017.
A staircase stands at a home leveled by the Tubbs fire in the Fountaingrove area of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017.
Photo: Noah Berger, Special To The Chronicle
Lori Sarver hugs neighbor Denise Zaleski while searching through the remains of her home in the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. Both lost their homes as the Tubbs fire roared though the area early Monday morning.
lessLori Sarver hugs neighbor Denise Zaleski while searching through the remains of her home in the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. Both lost their homes as the Tubbs fire
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An aerial view shows burned properties in Santa Rosa, California on October 12, 2017. Hundreds of people are still missing in massive wildfires which have swept through California killing at least 26 people and damaging thousands of homes, businesses and other buildings.
lessAn aerial view shows burned properties in Santa Rosa, California on October 12, 2017. Hundreds of people are still missing in massive wildfires which have swept through California killing at least 26 people and
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The remains of the homes in the Coffey Park neighborhood are seen from the air in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
The remains of the homes in the Coffey Park neighborhood are seen from the air in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
Photo: Elijah Nouvelage, Special To The Chronicle
Theres Gilman found her mother-in-law's ruby ring while digging through the rubble of her Santa Rosa home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017 in Santa Rosa , Calif..
Theres Gilman found her mother-in-law's ruby ring while digging through the rubble of her Santa Rosa home on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017 in Santa Rosa , Calif..
Photo: Guy Wathen, The Chronicle
Jimmie Allen (center) stands with his children Miley Allen (left), 9 and Jaden Frank (right), 13, at their home in Coffey Park, which was burned in the Tubbs fire, on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 in Napa, Calif.
lessJimmie Allen (center) stands with his children Miley Allen (left), 9 and Jaden Frank (right), 13, at their home in Coffey Park, which was burned in the Tubbs fire, on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 in Napa,
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Power-line restart device implicated in past wildfires
On the night of Oct. 8, as a windstorm raged across the North Bay, some of Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s local power lines were programmed to try to restart themselves in case service was interrupted — even if they were knocked to the ground or tangled in a tree.
Devices called reclosers — similar to automated circuit breakers — were set to shoot pulses of electricity through lines that tripped off. If conditions on the line seemed normal, the reclosers would automatically restart power.
If, however, the lines were in contact with branches or brush, those pulses of electricity could have started a fire.
State investigators are trying to determine whether PG&E’s power lines played a role in triggering the wildfires that swept across Wine Country that night, destroying whole neighborhoods and killing at least 43 people. No cause has been determined.
Reclosers are a key tool for preventing blackouts, but they have been implicated in wildfires before. The danger they pose is significant enough that two of California’s three investor-owned utility companies — San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison — routinely reprogram them during fire season so that the devices don’t automatically try to restart power lines.
PG&E, California’s largest utility, has been conducting a pilot program this year to do the same thing, spokesman Keith Stephens said. Some of PG&E’s reclosers in the North Bay were part of that pilot program, he said. When the windstorm hit, they functioned as programmed and let power lines that went dark stay dark.
But other reclosers in the area were not part of the experiment, Stephens said. Instead, they were programmed to try up to three times to restart power lines that had shut down.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is investigating the possible causes of the fires, won’t say if it is looking specifically at reclosers. But state Sen. Jerry Hill wants the potential role of these devices examined.
“Frankly, not turning off the reclosers could have started many if not all of the fires,” said Hill, D-San Mateo.
Two years ago, Hill held a public hearing on how utilities deal with the threat of wildfires, bringing together executives from PG&E, Edison and SDG&E. Those from Edison and SDG&E told the hearing that they block reclosers from automatically restarting lines during fire season. Patrick Hogan, PG&E’s senior vice president of electric operations, said his company had the ability to do the same, even though it could mean more power outages.
“So you take the reliability hit, but you gain the wildfire benefit,” Hogan said.
PG&E did not respond to questions Wednesday about why the company is still just experimenting with the idea. Nor did it say how many North Bay reclosers had been set to shut down at the first sign of trouble, compared with those programmed to restart their lines. Hill said he feels misled.
“I was under the opinion that they had the technology and used it the way Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric do,” he said. “I think they misled me and the public.”
The windstorm and the fires it fanned both exacted a heavy toll on PG&E’s equipment.
Reports that the company filed with California utility regulators described finding entire trees — some of which appeared healthy — that had fallen into power lines and knocked them to the ground. More than 350,000 PG&E customers lost power. PG&E mobilized 4,300 workers to restore service.
Should Cal Fire investigators pin blame for the fires on PG&E’s equipment, the company could be held liable for economic damages, even if it followed all safety regulations to the letter.
Wildfires have become a costly problem for California utilities. SDG&E paid out $2.4 billion to settle lawsuits triggered by a series of wind-driven wildfires in October of 2007. One of those, the Witch Fire, began after power fluctuations interrupted service on a transmission line three times and caused an electric arc. Reclosers kept turning the line back on.
An investigation into the 2009 Kilmore East Fire in Australia, which killed 119 people, placed some of the blame on a recloser that tried to restart a dangling power line.
Whenever an interruption occurs on a line that has an automatic recloser, the device will wait a few seconds and then send a pulse of electricity back through the line to see if conditions have returned to normal. If the line behaves properly, the recloser will restart electricity service through the line, without the need to send out a utility crew. Since most of the glitches that affect power lines tend to be temporary, the devices help prevent outages, particularly in remote rural areas.
PG&E’s North Bay reclosers that were not part of the pilot program were set to try to restart their lines 1 to 3 times, Stephens said. If the lines did not respond properly after that, the reclosers were programmed to lock down the lines and keep the power off.
Blocking reclosers from automatically restarting lines is one of several ways California utilities have tried to prevent wildfires. Placing some lines underground and swapping out wooden poles for steel ones are others.
SDG&E will even pre-emptively shut down some rural power lines when forecasts call for high winds and low humidity. The most recent shut-off came last week, when the utility cut power to two rural lines and blacked out 87 customers.
The company uses an automated dialing system to alert customers in advance.
“SDG&E takes our responsibility to operate our system safely very seriously,” said spokeswoman Allison Torres, in a statement. “If weather conditions threaten the integrity of our system, we will need to de-energize to protect public safety.”
PG&E isn’t eager to take that step.
Turning off a power line carries its own risks, said Kevin Dasso, PG&E’s vice president of electric asset management. It knocks out electric garage doors, making it harder for homeowners to flee an advancing fire. It may prompt some of them to switch on their own power generators, which can throw off sparks.
Then there’s the difficulty of deciding how many people to black out. The Oct. 8 windstorm affected most of PG&E’s vast service territory, which covers much of Northern and Central California.
“We had wind warnings and red-flag warnings in 44 of the 49 counties of our service area,” Dasso said. “De-energizing all our lines in those counties would have had a huge impact.”
David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF