Downed PG&E lines may have sparked the Camp Fire near Paradise
EIR-1214Provisional entry. Radio reports place a vegetation fire under PG&E transmission lines near Poe Dam at the start of the Camp Fire, but this early account does not establish that the lines caused the fire. Next update: 24 September 2026.
On 8 November 2018, firefighters were sent at about 6:33 a.m. to a vegetation fire under high-tension power lines across the Feather River from Poe Dam, the point Cal Fire had marked as the origin of the Camp Fire. Crews arriving at 6:43 a.m. reported winds of about 35 mph. Radio traffic referred to power lines down and a possible power line hazard. This early report said the fire had destroyed Paradise and killed at least five people. PG&E had warned of a possible public safety power shut-off in parts of Butte County, including Paradise, but did not carry it out. Cal Fire said the cause was still under investigation and that the inquiry would include electrical equipment. PG&E said no cause had been determined.
High winds were reported at the scene and had been forecast. Whether downed lines ignited the fire, and whether not proceeding with a shut-off played any part, had not been established.
- In forecast high wind and very dry conditions, operators should be ready to apply their shut-off criteria before a fire starts, and to record why a warned shut-off did or did not go ahead.
- A vegetation fire reported under transmission lines needs an early multi-agency response and clear warnings about downed lines.
- Where a fire involves loss of life, preservation of the scene should start while the cause is still unknown.
Published 2026-09-24. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.