If you have experienced an unexpected power outage in the last couple of weeks the chances are good that a hydro pole near your home caught fire.

Manitoba Hydro Spokesperson Bruce Owen says a record number of hydro poles are spontaneously bursting into flames across the province, many of which have been in our region.

“We’re experiencing a greater number of pole fires over a shorter period of time,” notes Owen. “Last week, there were 17 pole fires throughout the province in one day, which is the most we’ve ever seen at once.”

Owen says the unusually dry conditions this spring allowed for a buildup of dust within the porcelain hydro pole insulators. Then, when that dirt combined with the recent moisture, he says many hydro poles started conducting electricity in ways they were not supposed to.

“The dirt combines with moisture on the insulators and can create a conductive pathway for electricity to travel from the power line to the wood pole and this short circuit causes a fire,” he explains. “That fire can burn through the pole and leave the cross-arms and insulators suspended by the wires, causing an outage.”

This phenomenon, he says, was the reason hundreds of Steinbach residents suddenly lost power on Monday of this week. Owen warns that damaged poles and downed live lines are extremely dangerous. Anyone who notices these kinds of issues is advised to report the incident by calling 911.