Press release from PG&E:

Just in time for National Safe Digging Month, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will begin conducting aerial safety patrols of natural gas transmission pipelines throughout Humboldt County starting on Monday, April 11. Residents may notice a helicopter flying as low as 300 to 500 feet, following gas transmission lines from Eureka to Rio Dell.

PG&E conducts monthly safety patrols by air utilizing different types of aircraft to inspect its natural gas transmission system, as part of PG&E’s ongoing commitment to providing safe and reliable natural gas service. These helicopter flights, along with ground patrols, occur twice a year in April and in October.

Each patrol consists of a pilot and an observer. LIDAR-based equipment and state-of-the-art leak detection technology is used to identify any possible areas that may require on-the-ground inspection. If the survey detects a possible issue, PG&E personnel are then sent to the field to follow-up. The observer in the helicopter also uses a GPS-enabled tablet with mapping data help identify safety concerns that would prohibit access to the pipeline.

Flights will be coming from Redding into Eureka’s Murray Field Monday through Sunday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 pm. Flights will include fuel stops at Murray Field.

April is National Safe Digging Month and PG&E would like to remind its customers to call 811 or visit www.usanorth811.org before starting outdoor projects where digging may be involved. Without having underground lines marked, customers risk hitting a gas line.

811 signals utilities to visit the location and mark all underground lines for free. Contractors with projects of all sizes are required by California Government Code 4216 to call 811, including contractors hired by a homeowner.