Firefighters are concerned that an exposed gas main PG&E constructed in Briones Regional Park, which falls in a high fire hazard severity zone, could present a significant safety hazard.
“Should a wildland fire come through the area, this pipe would be subject to direct flame… Clearly, this is not an ideal situation,” Deputy Fire Chief Aaron McAlister wrote in a letter outlining his concerns to PG&E.
There’s roughly 40 feet of pipeline exposed in a sloped area with dense vegetation and McAlister says that in the event of a major fire, it’s typical for trees to fall and rocks to roll downhill, and either one could
impact the pipeline. Moreover, there have been two wildland fires within two miles of the pipeline in the last 90 days.
McAlister also mentioned the generally accessible nature of the pipeline, inside a regional park that is open to the public.
“I am concerned that a person could use the pipe as a walkway, adding weight to the pipe and causing further degradation of its strength and integrity,” McAlister said. “At a minimum the area should be marked KEEP OUT or DANGER.”
In addition to those threats, McAlister also raised the possibility of seismic damage, pointing to a 4.3 magnitude earthquake centered near Danville in July.
PG&E responded to a request for comment on McAlister’s letter, asserting that the pipeline “is safe” and is being monitored as part of maintenance activity, but did not address any of his concerns related to fire safety.
“Since initial concern was raised by local residents, we have taken several actions including: visiting the site on multiple occasions to take measurements of the pipe and the surrounding terrain, conducting erosion
analysis and other geological observations, and performing weight-bearing load calculations. All of the data analyzed so far verifies the safety of this pipeline,” Sarkissian said in an email Monday afternoon.
“We take the concerns of the city’s public officials and its citizens seriously, and will continue with additional data collection and analysis over the next few weeks to confirm the pipeline’s safety,” Sarkissian said. “Forward-looking activities will include a review of surrounding vegetation, additional stress study and an analysis of other possible threats.”
15 comments
Let it Be
Anon, I’m a CWI and all I do is inspect pipelines at Oil Refiney’s. I will leave it at that.
Need more info, fear mongering doesn’t help in these situations. (1) What does the gas line service, and what is the size of the gas pipeline? (2) What is the psi pressure on the pipeline, in the event of a complete break? (3) What is the condition of the gas pipeline; any corrosion from weather? (4) Any leakage, pinhole or otherwise, in the gas line now?
And really, someone would use a gas pipeline as a walkway? That’s more than a stretch, in my opinion.
Not much of a stretch if you have ever seen kids doing weird things just because they can. The few images I’ve seen looks like there is corrosion from weather.
Don’t get your panties in a twist.
If the pipe is in an open field away from any structures….
The State already has rules regulating that. A lone ranger fire chief is not going to get anywhere any quicker by going public.
It’s probably been there working quietly for 50 years but now it’s a problem?
Best idea yet.
How well I remember that.
^^^That was a response to a post about Canyon, CA in 1969.
I see a noticeable sag in that gas pipe, I would like to see a support truss beneath it. I would also like to see all trees removed that could fall onto the unsupported section.
Boys will cross that pipe on a dare, or just to do it, although boys seem to not go out and explore like we did when I was a kid.
There is a similar exposed oil line visible from Kirker Pass Rd crossing the ravine on the right. I believe it is the same line that sprung a leak near Holly Dr,/ Myrtle Dr. a few years ago and also a leak in Clayton decades ago.
The line which leaked behind Myrtle (should have been a shelter in place BTW) was Kinder-Morgan crude oil line.
In a normal world that pipe would be safe. We do not live in a normal world. Looks like that pipe has been not seen by many for many years. That has all changed now. I would bury it.
If I were a homeowner nearby I would want the pipe above ground so it could be monitored. And if it leaks, someone will smell the gas leak. If underground, probably not. Until it explodes.
And has Con Fire checked the surrounding homes for gas leaks? The Briones area is surrounded by older homes. I bet many of them have gas leaks, water supply line leaks, and sewer line leaks.
Mary, you are right on.
That has been there for years. It is a transmission pipeline that services more than just the homes in Brookes but the local area. It is inspected regularly by PG&E for corrosion and leaks. You can’t just drop it below ground it would need engineering to make sure that the gas flows correctly and maintain pressure. Also who would pay for it? PG&E is already raising fees for everything. I would be more concerned with what’s running through your neighborhood that has the same pressure than what’s in an open space.
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