The City of Glendale has adopted an ordinance which prohibits the sale of Mylar balloons in Glendale. Click here to learn more.

Mylar balloons, while festive, are dangerous and the cause of several power outages in Glendale each year. That’s because the balloons are conductive and when released into the sky can get caught in high voltage power lines. The metallic coating is a conductor for electricity and causes short-circuits when entangled in power lines. This results in power outages and damage to equipment which jeopardizes the public’s safety, loss of revenues for businesses, and major inconveniences to residential customers. GWP urges customers to stay safe during Valentine's Day, Mother's/Father's Day, graduations, and other festive celebrations by following these Mylar balloon safety tips for your safety and help prevent electrical outages:

• Use caution and avoid celebrating with Mylar balloons near overhead electric lines.
• Make sure helium-filled Mylar balloons are securely tied to a weight that is heavy enough to prevent them from floating away. Never remove the weight.
• Keep Mylar balloons indoors when possible. For everyone's safety, never permit Mylar balloons to be released outside.
• Do not bundle Mylar balloons together.
• Never attempt to retrieve any type of balloon, kite, or toy that becomes caught in a power line.
• Never go near a power line that has fallen to the ground or is dangling in the air. Always assume downed wires are energized and extremely dangerous.

Call 911 immediately to report downed power lines. To report an outage or objects caught in power lines, call 818-548-2011. Watch the videos below to see what happens when mylar balloons come into contact with power lines.

Mylar Balloon Safety

Mylar balloon contacting power lines