A SUDDEN GUST PUSHED A HOT AIR BALLOON INTO PWR LINES. THE BALLOON WAS READYING FOR TKOF.

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ROUTINE INFLATION WITH TIE OFF. BALLOON WAS ONE OF SEVERAL LAUNCHING FROM SAME FIELD. NO PROBS WITH LAUNCHES OF 3 BALLOONS WAS NOTED. ALL PRIOR LAUNCHES FOLLOWED A TRAJECTORY PARALLEL TO THE ROAD AND PWR LINES. ENVELOPE WAS HEATED TO BUOYANT TEMP AND TIE OFF WAS RELEASED. UPON TIE OFF RELEASE; EXPERIENCED FALSE LIFT AND A SUDDEN WIND SHIFT CAUSED BALLOON TO MAKE CONTACT WITH PWR LINES AT EQUATOR OF BALLOON. NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO EQUIP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO:THE BALLOON NEVER WAS ACTUALLY INFLT; IT MOVED TOWARD THE PWR LINES AND THE BASKET LANDED ON A ROAD. A SUDDEN WIND SHIFT CAUSED THE ENVELOPE TO DRAPE OVER THE PWR LINES. THE RPTR AND WITNESSES HEARD A CIRCUIT BREAKER POP; SO THEY FOOLISHLY PULLED THE ENVELOPE OFF OF THE WIRES. THERE WAS AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE ON SITE WHO GOT THE RPTR'S STATEMENT AND DECIDED THAT NO ACTION NEED BE TAKEN. THE ENVELOPE SUFFERED MINOR DAMAGE FROM A BARB WIRE FENCE ALONGSIDE THE ROAD. OTHER BALLOONS TAKING OFF AT THE SAME TIME EXPERIENCED THIS SUDDEN GUST ALSO.