recommendations for electric utilities on preventing wildfires

Electric utilities are not helpless in the effort to prevent wildfires. See this new report from a national laboratory, New PNNL Report Aids Utilities in Preparing for Wildfires

Typically, we hear calls for utilities to put their transmission lines underground. While that might be possible in some cases, long distance, high voltage lines may never be put underground. However, there are other measures that can be taken as explained in the linked article. One of the biggest problem that needs to be addressed is shutting down the power before there is a strong enough wind to take down powerlines. Artificial Intelligence can perhaps aid in the decision making matrix.

While wildfires might not be the issue with the current winter blast, downed powerlines will certainly be in the mix.