Hydro poles spark, thousands left in the dark

Hyrdo pole fires are considered one of the leading causes of power outages in our province.

This week alone, Winnipeg saw two pole fires which lead to close to 8000 people being left in the dark for several hours.

Bruce Owen, media relations officer for Manitoba Hydro says weather conditions play a huge role in hydro pole fires.

"Moisture and electricity do not mix," said Owen. "We see a lot of pole fires during the spring. During the winter there is grime and road dirt that builds up on some of the equipment on our poles. With weather like we've been experiencing, we also have a lot of moisture in the air. If a pole is cracked, that grime from the winter seeps into it, and with the additional moisture that adds more fuel to the fire, so to speak. It creates a short circuit which eventually leads to a pole fire."

Owen says pole fires are extremely dangerous. He encourages anyone who sees one to stay back.

"There is still electricity travelling those power lines. We tell all of our customers if they see that, that they need to first report it to police, because it is a public safety risk. Then they are encouraged to call us at Manitoba Hydro so that we can de-energize that pole and begin the repair work," explains Owen.

Depending on the time of day, location and weather conditions, damage caused by a hydro pole fire can take up to half a day to fix.