Rural Fires Last Night. WTF was any one burning the day before the wind storm!

[bucket]

All of downed transmission lines....Saskpower has to start a preventative maintenance program....

Seems odd they replaced a couple poles last year and two towers down last night they fell over....

[errolanderson]

From realagriculture : "Tragically, there was at least one fatality, as a release from Cypress County confirmed James Hargrave of the Walsh Fire Department died in the line of duty near Hilda on Tuesday night. Hargrave was a young rancher, who served as a director-at-large for the Western Stock Growers Association and a former delegate for Alberta Beef Producers."

This is such sad news . . . . The Hargrave ranch and their family were truly amazing, but suffered so many tragedies over the years. I went to school with his dad Harry and his aunt Nairn in the small town of Irvine. Bert Hargrave (grandfather) was Conservative MP for the Medicine Hat riding for many years and was appointed to the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame.

James, may you rest in peace . . . .

[Happytrails]

This is such sad news . . . . The Hargrave ranch and their family were truly amazing, but suffered so many tragedies over the years. I went to school with his dad Harry and his aunt Nairn in the small town of Irvine. Bert Hargrave (grandfather) was Conservative MP for the Medicine Hat riding for many years and was appointed to the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame.

James, may you rest in peace . . . .[/QUOTE]

Such sad news indeed.

[sumdumguy]

What the "h" is wrong with underground lines. Maybe Saskpower could employ some of our underemployed to get their act together and trench the lines in. The money wasted on line, pole maintenance and loss of electricity on the lines would go a long way to burying the lines. Their responsibility in accident electrocutions and fires like seen here should be a wake-up call.

[farmaholic]

What the "h" is wrong with underground lines. Maybe Saskpower could employ some of our underemployed to get their act together and trench the lines in. The money wasted on line, pole maintenance and loss of electricity on the lines would go a long way to burying the lines. Their responsibility in accident electrocutions and fires like seen here should be a wake-up call.

We were lucky and our area was one of the RUD(Rural Underground Distribution) areas(single phase power lines). Sure is nice...just have 3 three phase poles on our cultivated land. The problem is the cost has gotten retarded....same for new Nat Gas service....cost of service is prohibitive. I guess they don't want or need any more customers!

[food4u]

Do not know about Alberta but Sask Power is NOT liable for any damages caused by line failure. Several years ago the RM north of us had to foot the fire bill for a stubble caused by a line failure.

[samhill]

Loss of life

So sad to to hear of Mr. Hargrave. Thoughts and prayers to his family. A man helping others paying the supreme price.
Here in Manitoba my sons in laws had to move 200 pairs, one of the neithbours lost a bull and a few head. They're trying to get a carcass count done. But as small loss in comparison.

[Horse]

Sumdum If you are willing to pay probably 4x what you are paying now for power yes it can be undergrounded,then there are line hits that are mostly fatal, and any under ground maintance is very expensive, but I don't suppose you relay thought about costs but when you get your bill you will squeal rea; loud.

[helmsdale]

Line loss becomes substantial as well. Underground lines will run warmer than they do above ground thereby increasing resistance. Only way to overcome the problem is to oversize an underground cable. Larger cable to supply the same amount of power further increases cost. Above ground is an uninsulated line as well compared to underground which must be jacketed.

[biglentil]

Sumdum If you are willing to pay probably 4x what you are paying now for power yes it can be undergrounded,then there are line hits that are mostly fatal, and any under ground maintance is very expensive, but I don't suppose you relay thought about costs but when you get your bill you will squeal rea; loud.

4x comon thats a load of Horse Shit.

[farmaholic]

I think ours went underground in the early Eighties. We have our own line off the three phase with no one else on it and its about a mile and a half long....has been zero maintenance(touch wood).

[Guest]

Sumdum If you are willing to pay probably 4x what you are paying now for power yes it can be undergrounded,then there are line hits that are mostly fatal, and any under ground maintance is very expensive, but I don't suppose you relay thought about costs but when you get your bill you will squeal rea; loud.

Not sure if I'm reading you right , but overhead line hits are nearly always fatal , underground are not . It shorts to groundwhich is where it's trying to go . We were lucky here , grant Devine put ours underground . You see , he had a vision for the future . We don't have a power line in any of our land or yard . Pretty thankful . A neighbour lost his life here a year ago when his sprayer boom contacted an overhead line . In contrast , sask energy crew hit main power line in our yard when working on a gas line . All there was was a bang and a little smoke , didn't even hurt trencher