Bonneville Power Administration shut off three high-voltage transmission lines Saturday night running through the region engulfed by the Bolt Creek fire, a move the power provider said was designed to safely allow firefighters to access the rugged area to combat the blaze.
Kevin Wingert, a BPA spokesperson, said the utility received a request from a fire incident commander Saturday night to de-energize the transmission lines. BPA did so to "enable fire crews to safely transport personnel and equipment" and "out of an abundance of caution."
The lines remain out of service and haven't affected customers, as BPA has been able to deliver power through other routes, Wingert said.
More than 200 firefighters are battling the blaze as it rages uncontrolled over 7,600 acres in forested, mountainous terrain, said Peter Mongillo, a spokesperson for Snohomish Fire and Rescue.
The fire grew rapidly Saturday, sending smoke drifting to Seattle and making the city's air quality among the worst in the world. Emergency crews were flying helicopters over the fire to douse it with water or fire-retardant chemicals, attempting to push the blaze north away from populated areas, Mongillo said.
The areas under an evacuation order, stretching from Index to Skykomish, are home to about 500 structures, ranging from houses to garages, Mongillo said. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that only about half of those in the evacuation zone had left the area.
Wingert, the BPA spokesperson, had no estimate for when the transmission lines would be placed back in service, but emphasized that they don't present a danger. The lines are strung high up to steel towers, he said.
"We've not seen or experienced anything that would lead us to believe those represented a fire risk to the public," he said.
