I am a resident of El-Mar Estates. Like many other neighborhoods in Missoula, my neighbors and I have been busy cleaning up after the recent storm that hit our area, leaving trees and branches scattered everywhere.
Fortunately, we have not had to deal with downed power lines in our neighborhood. The power lines in our area have always been buried underground, unlike in other local neighborhoods where high voltage lines can be a dangerous hazard during storms.
This raises the question – why aren’t more power lines buried underground to reduce the risk to lives and property? Many recent fires in America have been caused by overhead power lines falling during storms. With modern trenching equipment, it seems like burying the power lines should be a feasible solution.
If you think that the recent storm was an isolated event, think again. The increase in severe weather due to global warming means that we should be proactive in eliminating unnecessary hazards. It just makes sense to take steps to protect ourselves and our community.
