MENDOCINO Co., 4/12/22 — Helicopter season is starting early this year! In an effort to reduce the impact of “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” (PSPS), PG&E plans to patrol electrical lines with low-flying helicopters looking for vegetation that could pose fire hazards along the Mendocino Coast. This is starting today and expected to take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through the end of the month, but not every day.
“These practice patrols are designed to gather information that helps PG&E understand the amount of time it takes to safely complete the patrol,” regional vice president Ron Richardson said Sunday in a press release. “The pre-patrols improve safety, help us execute the patrol more efficiently and provide key information to determine service restoration timing – all to reduce the impact on our customers during an actual PSPS.”
This is happening all over Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino counties. Here in Mendocino the communities of Point Arena, Elk and Fort Bragg will be affected, but power will not be interrupted during practice patrols.
