The state of California penalizes the state’s utility companies, like Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), by holding them strictly liable resulting from any mishap with the company’s service area. For example, any outbreaks of wildfires resulting from sparks from company power lines hitting each other due to high winds or a tree limb blown into power lines causing a short.

Under a California’s strict liability statutes, if there is any reasonable suspicion or possibility that a wildfire started resulting from sparks from utility power lines, the company that owns and operates them is liable for any damages. Despite limits enacted by the Golden State’s legislature last year, PG&E is going to shut down power to areas when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning.

Most of the areas impacted by PG&E’s policy are in the northern part of California and rural areas are being adversely affected. When Red Flag warnings are issued it is when high winds occur, vegetation is dry, and can be fuel for wildfires. California residents can thank environmentalists for this predicament.

Whenever a proposal is made to reduce vegetation or dead trees in state and federal forest areas, environmentalist groups sue to prevent any such actions. This, in turn, leaves in place fuel for wildfires to break out and environmentalists do this purposely knowing that their efforts will result in not only wildfire outbreaks but also people’s lives ruined, if not loss of life.

Below is a news story broadcast by CBS Sacramento reporting about PG&E’s efforts. According to the station. PG&E estimates around 800,000 customers will lose power starting overnight on today, including approximately 50,000 customers in both Placer, El Dorado Counties, and 43,000 in Nevada County. Environmentalists claim their policies are geared to protect the Earth, but are nothing more than about political control and they don’t care whose lives are ruined.