Fast winds incoming: PG&E power shutoffs could last days
Tens of thousands of Californians may be forced to spend the next few days without power while dry, powerful winds slam the northern part of the state.
PG&E said Tuesday it will likely cut power to about 54,000 customers in portions of 24 counties through Friday while much of Northern California remains under a redflag warning of extreme fire danger. This would mark the third time the utility has shut off power amid a record-breaking fire season that has already seen more than
4.1 million acres burned. Still, PG&E appears to have improved its shutoff process since last October, when millions of Californians lost power for days and some saw hundreds of dollars of food spoil in their fridges.
Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom tentatively praised PG&E for improved communication and more targeted shutoffs. The utility said Tuesday it was deploying temporary microgrids and generators to provide power to 12,000 customers who would have otherwise lost it.
Calistoga City Manager Mike Kirn: “It’s very positive, otherwise we’d be 100% out of power. We’re encouraged by the efforts that PG&E has put forward, and hopefully this (shutoff) will be much smoother than the last one.” Still, the utility has a tough road ahead. Cal Fire is currently investigating whether PG&E equipment may have sparked the deadly Zogg Fire in Shasta County, and the utility just recently emerged from bankruptcy incurred by billions of dollars in wildfire-related liability costs.
Statewide, temperatures are expected to reach 10 to 20 degrees above normal for the rest of the week, marking yet another mini heat wave after the Golden State slogged through its warmest April-to-September period in 126 years.
The heat, combined with winds of up to 60 miles per hour and low humidity, could exacerbate fires raging throughout the state — though firefighters have mostly contained many of the blazes. About 11,500 firefighters are currently on the front lines, down from a peak of more than 19,000 in September.
Trick-or-treating strongly discouraged, state says
Californians should skip trick- or-treating this Halloween to prevent household mixing amid the pandemic, the state’s top health official, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said Tuesday. The state Department of Public Health unveiled a list of alternative activities for Halloween and Día de los Muertos, including online costume contests, indoor candy scavenger hunts and virtual altars. The news comes a few days after the state released holiday guidelines that restrict gatherings to three families outdoors. Still, the overall coronavirus picture appears to be improving in California: 11 counties moved into less restrictive reopening tiers Tuesday, and none moved backward. Meanwhile, the state’s 14- day positivity rate has fallen to an alltime low of 2.6%. Intensive- care admissions are also at an all-time low and hospitalizations are at a level not seen since early April, CalMatters’ tracker shows.
Meanwhile, Newsom said Monday he was sending a team to Florida to evaluate Disney World’s reopening and to California theme parks to assess their safety measures. The move appeared to smooth over relations with Disneyland, which partially blamed California’s strict reopening rules for forcing 28,000 layoffs.
PG&E said Tuesday it will likely cut power to about 54,000 customers in portions of 24 counties through Friday while much of Northern California remains under a red-flag warning of extreme fire danger. This would mark the third time the utility has shut off power amid a recordbreaking fire season that has already seen more than 4.1 million acres burned.