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Snohomish County linemen pitch in during California wildfires

Linemen from Snohomish PUD spent a week in California repairing power lines damaged in the wildfires.
For a week, 20 linemen from Snohomish County Public Utility District helped get some Californians impacted by wildfires back online.

For a week, 20 linemen from Snohomish County Public Utility District helped get some Californians impacted by wildfires back online.

On August 2, the linemen drove down to Lakeport in the area of the Mendocino Complex Fire, which has been named the largest fire in California state history.

The group pitched in, replacing utility poles and wires that were scorched.

Scott Packebush, a journeyman lineman who's been at PUD for 24 years, was one of the linemen on that trip.

"They had three big towns evacuated on our way through so that was kind of spooky, everyone gone in the middle of these lake-front towns," he said.

Packebush said their crews worked 16-hour shifts and slept for eight hours. The PUD team joined the 700-1000 linemen working in the Mendocino area.

It was hard work but he said the morale of the linemen were high, knowing they were helping out in California's time of need.

"I don't think any of the guys gave a second thought about it, I mean everybody is ready to step up when it comes to something like that," Packebush said.

The linemen from PUD returned August 9.

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