PG&E Responds to CAL FIRE’s Announcement about 2020 Zogg Fire in Shasta County

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today issued the following statement in response to the release of information by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) regarding the September 2020 Zogg Fire:

“The loss of life and devastation in the communities impacted by the Zogg Fire is tragic, and we recognize that nothing can heal the hearts of those who have lost so much. We also thank the courageous first responders who saved lives, protected property and worked to contain and put out the fire.

Today, CAL FIRE announced that it has determined the cause of the Zogg Fire was a pine tree contacting PG&E electrical lines located north of Igo in Shasta County. As we have said previously, PG&E has fully cooperated with CAL FIRE’s investigation.

While we have not been given access to CAL FIRE’s report or evidence it collected, we look forward to reviewing both when we are allowed to do so. We filed an Electric Incident Report with the California Public Utilities Commission on October 9, 2020, related to the Zogg Fire.

We remain focused on continuing to reduce wildfire risk throughout our system and executing on the commitments made in our 2021 Wildfire Mitigation Plan. These efforts include:

• New electric grid technology;
• Hardening of the electric system;
• Accelerated inspections of electric infrastructure;
• Enhanced vegetation management around power lines; and
• Real-time monitoring and situational awareness tools to better understand how severe weather can impact PG&E's system.

PG&E’s most important responsibility is the safety of our customers and communities we serve. As the threat of extreme weather continues to impact portions of California, we remain focused on preventing major wildfires and are committed to our mission to safely deliver energy to our customers and communities.”

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.