Posted by Anup Baral May 8th, 2016 :
What causes pole fires?
Poles that are most at risk are located in high-traffic, high-speed areas, such as along the 400-series highways and Highway 400, Highway 404 or major in-town roadways. Over the course of the winter, road salt residue and other contaminants accumulate on the ground, on hydro poles and on the equipment attached to them, such as line insulators, which prevent electricity from traveling from power lines to the pole. When the temperature hovers around the zero degrees Celsius mark, the buildup of road salt residue, combined with the presence of moisture, creates an environment that can give rise to pole fires. During spring thaws, accumulated snow and ice begin to melt and the moisture mixed with the road salt allows electricity to be conducted from the power line along the insulator and onto the metal bolt attaching the insulator to the pole. The metal bolt heats up and if the surrounding wood is dry enough it begins to char and could catch fire. Poles can be severely damaged during fires, and the fire has to be extinguished before crews can repair or replace the pole and restore power to affected customers.