George Skelton: Let's face it: Preventing and fighting wildfires means utility customers will have to pay more
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - One silver lining has emerged from California's horrific wildfires: The state and utilities are finally focused on preventing and fighting these infernos.
It's long overdue, of course. It took an outraged public to light a fire under the politicians. And they pounded the utilities.
That's the way the system's set up to work. It's just too bad that elected representatives tend to be reactive, not proactive. But that's not just politics, it's human nature.
"We're safer today from utility wildfires," says Patrick McCallum, a community college lobbyist who lost
