California winds bring wildfires and power outages to thousands of people

LOS ANGOLOS » A windstorm that fanned brushfires, toppled trees and left thousands of Californians without power focused its remaining energy Wednesday on the southern end of the state, where forecasters warned of the additional threat of heavy rain and flash flooding.

Strong winds were expected to continue through the morning and then taper off, with a low-pressure system moving across northern Baja California drawing subtropical moisture into the region during the night, the National Weather Service said.

Flash-flood watches were posted for the eastern mountains and deserts and snow was expected to fall at elevations 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) and higher.

Utilities, meanwhile, continued to deal with power outages resulting from a combination of wind damage and public safety power shutoffs intended to prevent wildfires from being started by sparks from downed or damaged wires.

Southern California Edison’s website early Wednesday showed 44,000 customers intentionally blacked out and more than 170,000 others advised they could potentially have their power cut.

In the northern and central areas of the state, Pacific Gas & Electric had restored power to more than 70% of the 286,000 customers who lost power due to severe weather. About 78,000 remained without power as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the utility said.

Power lines that are shut down must be inspected for signs of damage before they can be reenergized.

The powerful winds howled into Northern California late Monday and spread southward Tuesday under the influence of lowpressure systems.

Trees fell, branches flew and big rigs toppled over on highways. The danger forced Yosemite National Park to close for the day.

Wildfires emerged statewide, including two from gusts fanning long-smoldering embers of one of last summer’s massive wildfires in counties south of the San Francisco Bay region. Firefighters on alert due to the predicted conditions kept the fires small.

SHMUEL THLER — THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL On Aug. 20, the CZU August Lightning Complex fire consumes trees and a fence along Empire Grade Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains community of Bonny Doon near Santa Cruz. Months-old embers from a fire were blown back to life Tuesday by powerful winds that raked the state and prompted safety blackouts to tens of thousands of people.

JEFF GRITCHEN — THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Marich Schapiro, left, her daughters, Cassie Schapiro and AJ Schapiro, and June Castillo, brave the wind as they wait for Schapiro’s husband to finish surfing south of the pier in Huntington Beach on Tuesday.