Raging Oregon Wildfire Threatens California’s Already Beleaguered Power Grid

10 July 2021

Published by https://gizmodo.com/

USA – A raging wildfire in Oregon has doubled in size to 120 squares miles (roughly 311 square kilometers) within 24 hours and now threatens vital transmission lines that carry power to California’s already beleaguered energy grid, the Associated Press reports. It’s one of dozens of blazes scorching the West Coast amid a triple-digit heat wave.

This latest threat to California’s grid—the Bootleg Fire—sparked in southern Oregon earlier this week before strong winds pushed the flames toward Path 66, a corridor of three parallel 500 kilovolt power lines that connect the two states’ energy grids, CBS SF Bay Area reports. Containment remains at 0%, according to a Saturday update from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Bootleg Fire exploded from 61 square miles (about 158 square kilometers) on Friday to 120 squares miles (about 311 square kilometers) on Saturday, NBC-affiliate KGW8 reports. The blaze has prompted mandatory evacuations and is threatening about 3,000 homes and structures, Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office told the outlet.