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Cities Criticize S.D. County for Not Backing Power Shut Off Plan

Cities Criticize S.D. County for Not Backing Power Shut Off Plan
Leaders from three cities lashed out at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Friday for not backing SDG&E’s power shut off plan for the backcountry.

Leaders from three cities lashed out at the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Friday for not backing SDG&E’s power shut off plan for the backcountry.

City Council members from San Diego and Chula Vista joined San Diego Firefighters and the mayor of La Mesa to give support to SDG&E’s plan to shut off power to the back country during high risk fire days. But San Diego Councilwoman Marti Emerald says the real story is the reluctance of the county supervisors to develop an alternate plan for fire prevention.

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“And the loudest voices, pointing fingers at those of us who just want this community to be prepared, the people who are screaming the loudest are the people who’ve invested the least in fire protection,” she said

Emerald says the Supervisors have only allocated $18 million for fire protection. City officials are concerned about fire protection in the backcountry because major fires have started their and burned into city limits.

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