With Valentine’s day coming up Saturday, love may be in the air, but there’s one thing traditionally associated with the holiday that shouldn’t be says PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno.
Moreno: “We had more than 300 power outages last year caused by Mylar balloons. Mylar balloons have a metallic exterior. That metal acts as a conductor. Mylar balloons don’t even have to touch the power line; they just have to come between two energized power lines to cause a shortage. Balloons often fall to the ground and start fires as well, and we’ve had that happen two years ago during the Deer Fire that was caused by a bouquet of Mylar balloons that hit the power lines in Tehama County.”
Mylar balloons are now sold tied to weights preventing them from flying away. Moreno said the balloons should be popped before disposal to assure they don’t cause problems.
Of course, you can always stick with flowers, chocolates or something more imaginative.