The future of balloons in Laguna Beach will be decided next month when the City Council will vote on whether to ban them in the city, due to threats they pose to the environment and residents’ safety after recent power outages and fires.
Pacific, Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison reported a combined 1,703 power outages in Southern California in 2021 due to incidents with metallic balloons—which are those made with foil and mylar and are electrically conductive.
A collage of screenshots taken on June 3, 2022, shows an undated incident of metallic balloon-caused power line explosion. (Screenshot via YouTube/Long Beach Local News)
According to Laguna Beach city staff, all balloons are the most common form of floating garbage within 200 miles of American shorelines and are the second most dangerous debris for wildlife that may ingest them and become sick or die….