PG&E blackouts spread to 23 counties as fierce winds raise wildfire danger in California

PG&E began a wildfire safety blackout across parts of the Sacramento Valley early Monday as wildfire dangers ramped up amid strong winds.

Under scrutiny because of its wildfire safety record, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. started blacking out customers in portions of Glenn, Colusa, Tehama and Butte counties amid a red flag warning from the National Weather Service for much of Northern California.

By noon, more than 23,000 customers in 23 counties were deliberately taken offline. The blackout extended to an area northwest of Sacramento including parts of Yolo, Solano, Napa and Lake counties, as well as parts of western Fresno and Kings counties.

All told, PG&E said its latest public safety power shutoff would take in 25,000 homes and businesses across portions of 20 counties, including parts of the Bay Area, the Central Coast and the southern San Joaquin Valley.

The state’s largest electric utility said it expected to begin restoring power sometime Tuesday afternoon.

PG&E was driven into bankruptcy in 2019 after a series of mega-fires, including the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County, generated billions of dollars in liabilities. While it emerged successfully from Chapter 11 last year, it continues to struggle with wildfire safety despite increased spending on tree-trimming, “hardening” of its grid and other measures.

It was recently indicted by the Shasta County district attorney on criminal charges stemming from last year’s Zogg Fire, which killed four people. It’s also under indictment in connection with the late 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, which prompted massive evacuations.

And Cal Fire is investigating whether PG&E equipment sparked this year’s Dixie Fire, which has burned 963,309 acres and is the second-largest wildfire in the state’s history.

This story was originally published October 11, 2021 at 7:59 AM.