The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday on the push to bury those lines.
After the fires devastated huge areas in West L.A. County, officials believe that now, as they rebuild, is the ideal time to put all electric wires and other infrastructure underground. They say, however, it isn't that easy.
Los Angeles County officials say Southern California Edison is moving 40 miles of electrical lines underground. That includes work on Topanga Canyon, Rambla Pacifico and along Pacific Coast Highway. But they say some telecom companies won't do it.
"Undergrounding, simply put, saves lives," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who added that even after SoCal Edison removes its equipment, the poles will have to remain. She says the power company and the telecommunications companies share the poles, and they can't be removed unless they all agree.
"While Edison is removing their top portion of poles and undergrounding electrical lines, telecom providers who share these poles under a joint agreement are refusing to do the same," Horvath said.
L.A. Public Works officials say in Paradise during the 2018 Camp Fire, downed poles and wires blocked evacuation routes.
Installing wire underground is more expensive than running it on poles, but officials say there are long-term benefits.
"Because by undergrounding, we will create more resiliency by making the communication system as resilient as the road system," said Mark Pestrella, the L.A. County Public Works Director.
SoCal Edison is also moving cables underground in the Altadena area. People who live in the area told Eyewitness News it would be a major improvement.
"It's just all around a better situation for liability of services, faster services. It costs less in the long run when they're underground than it does above ground, and it just aesthetically makes it look a lot better," said Max Alperstein, who lives in Rambla Pacifico.
The city of Paradise went to the California Public Utilities Commission to get the wires underground. L.A. County officials say they might have to do that as well.
"We have to take action on behalf of our residents," Horvath said.
A motion approved on Tuesday would direct the county to file a formal complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission. County officials say they would like to work out an agreement with the companies before they have to do that.