California wine country fire began near damaged PG&E tower, 2,000 flee

Vines are silhouetted against the Kincade fire burning in a valley below, near Geyserville, California, U.S., October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

GEYSERVILLE, Calif. (Reuters) - A wind-driven wildfire that forced some 2,000 people to flee homes in Northern California's wine country on Thursday erupted near the base of a damaged high-voltage transmission tower owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co, utility and fire officials said.

The company, a unit of bankrupt holding company PG&E Corp , acknowledged in an "electric safety incident" report to the California Public Utilities Commission that one of its power lines malfunctioned at about the time and location of the fire's origin on Wednesday night.