Southern California Edison (SCE) is expected to be conducting aerial surveillance of power lines and equipment in Santa Clarita in mid-July in efforts to prevent electrical malfunctions from sparking fires, officials said Thursday.

SoCal Edison is expected to be conducting aerial operations between July 18 and 20 pending weather to survey electrical equipment, according to the utility company.

Santa Clarita, with most of the valley being a tier-one or two fire risk, the highest potential danger, is a part of the service area SoCal Edison is focusing on to lessen the potential for fire.

SCE has contracts with several different companies to survey lines with helicopters to see the equipment from a different angle, according to SCE officials.

“Some things, like the tops of transformers, you can’t see on the ground,” said David Song, a spokesperson for SCE. “We have used helicopters in the past for high lines, which are in areas with more difficult terrain, but now we are using them for other lines.”

Residents could expect more helicopters hovering around Santa Clarita neighborhoods as SoCal Edison continues efforts to prevent wildfires.

“The goal is to survey the area and take photos to see if anything needs repair,” Song said. “There might be some noise in the area, but this is important work to ensure there are no issues.”

There are also several other programs in place to reduce fire risk.

“Santa Clarita is an area with a large risk of fire danger,” Song explained. “We are doing our best to mitigate any possible fires started by power equipment.”

In most areas, power lines are not insulated, creating a potential ignition point if the lines are downed into brushlands.

“We are starting to insulate more lines in the area,” Song said. “This could reduce the fire risk, but also prevent some other dangers to the lines themselves.”

Metallic balloons could create an arc between two lines, causing sparks or even an outage. Wildlife is also an issue in more rural areas of Santa Clarita, according to officials.

“We are working hard to make sure our equipment is in proper working order,” Song said. “This is all in efforts to keep our customers and communities safe.”

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