PG&E’s wildfire safety blackouts begin across Northern California as fierce winds kick up

PG&E Corp. started shutting off power to thousands of Northern Californians on Tuesday evening as hot, dry weather mixed with strong winds to raise wildfire dangers.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said the first wave of blackouts hit areas of Yolo, Shasta and Tehama counties, starting around 5 p.m.

They would soon be followed by portions of Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Napa, Plumas, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Trinity, Alameda, Sierra and Yuba counties would come later.

In all, the utility said it would impose its “public safety power shutoff” to a combined 51,000 homes and businesses. It said the blackouts would likely end sometime Wednesday afternoon.

The National Weather Service issued a “red flag” warning for much of the Sacramento Valley and Northern California, signifying the arrival of strong wind gusts.

PG&E has been under intense pressure in recent years over its wildfire safety record. A string of mega-fires, capped by the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County, drove PG&E into bankruptcy in 2019. It emerged from bankruptcy last year but is being investigated in connection with several more fires, including this year’s Dixie Fire — currently burning in the northern Sacramento Valley and the national forests.

The Dixie Fire destroyed much of Greenville in Plumas County and was measured at 604,511 acres Tuesday, making it the second largest on record.

This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 5:58 PM with the headline "PG&E’s wildfire safety blackouts begin across Northern California as fierce winds kick up."