Blackouts and Fires Hit California Again as High Winds Rage

(Bloomberg) -- Utilities have cut power to more than 120,000 homes and businesses in Southern California to prevent live wires from falling and sparking wildfires as high winds buffet the state.

The shutoffs, which began Wednesday, could ultimately impact more than 1 million people as gusts of up to 70 miles (113 kilometers) per hour sweep hillsides and mountains left bone dry by drought.

At least three wildfires were burning in Southern California Thursday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The largest is a fast-growing brush fire that’s forced evacuations in Orange County and had ripped through more than 3,500 acres by 9 a.m. local time.

California has already been charred by record fires that have burned 4.2 million acres and killed 31 people in 2020. Utilities including PG&E Corp. and Edison International’s Southern California Edison and have cut power repeatedly to prevent power lines from falling and igniting dry brush.

Near San Diego, Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric utility has cut power to more than 73,000 homes and businesses at 9:30 a.m. local time, or about 219,000 people based on the size of the average household. Another 22,000 homes and businesses could lose power, according to the company’s website.

Further north, Southern California Edison has cut electricity to more than 48,000 homes and businesses, according to its website. Another 247,000 could follow suit, which would constitute the region’s largest blackout to prevent wildfires this year. PG&E said it had blacked out about 600 customers in the Central Valley.

Last week, Edison cut power to thousands of customers on Thanksgiving during high winds. In 2019, PG&E filed for bankruptcy after its wires sparked the deadliest blaze in state history.

The high winds will be mostly confined to Southern California but could touch a portion of the state’s Central Valley as well.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.