Online Public Relations Thoughts

 Southern California Edison has informed authorities that one of its high-voltage lines may have sparked a huge wildfire.  This comes after the utility in the northern part of the state, Pacific Gas and Electric shut off power to tens of thousands to prevent any further chances of igniting fast-moving blazes.  For both companies, fire has been a PR disaster and there seems to be few ways to prevent it.  Even with brush and tree cutting, there is no way to guarantee a line won't sag into combustible material or detach from an insulator and plummet to the ground.  It is costly to pay for hundreds of lost homes and businesses.  Shareholders are losers but so too are consumers who might have to rebuild, pay increased rates, experience power shutoffs and undergo evacuation when a fire rages.  Utilities used to be "widows and orphans" stocks -- safe dividend payers.  Not anymore and with climate change in full swing, their power generation and distribution are becoming liabilities.