Pacific Gas & Electric plans on cutting the power off in 36 counties beginning Saturday night – making the electricity shutoff the largest wind-related blackout yet, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Forecasters are warning that dangerous winds with gusts up to 80 mph coupled with low humidity could produce “historic” weather conditions Saturday night into Sunday. “Any fires that develop will likely spread quickly,” according to the weather service.”
PG&E principal meteorologist Scott Strenfel said in a statement that the wind forecast for the weekend “has the potential to be one of the strongest in the last several years.”
“It’s also likely to be longer than recent wind events, which have lasted about 12 hours or less,” he said. PG&E is expected to decide today whether it will begin the power blackout tonight – effecting 36 counties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, wine country and Sierra foothills – for 48 hours.
The utility said it would not restore power until inspections of de-energized lines are completed and any damage to the system caused by high winds is repaired.
The high winds also create problems for firefighters by grounding water-dropping aircraft, dispersing fire retardant and driving hot embers far ahead of the flames to set new blazes, said Cal Fire Division Chief Jonathan Cox. “You can’t fight a fire that’s spotting ahead of itself a quarter of a mile, half a mile, in some cases a mile ahead of itself,” he said.
Embers blow in the wind as a tree trunk glows during the Kincade fire near #Geyserville. #California #US 24.10.2019
Josh Edelson / AFP Photo#Cali #CaliforniaFires #californiawildfires #wildfire pic.twitter.com/i0Gc4lYHc3— Photojournalism (@phjournalism) October 25, 2019
The Kincade Fire
With a little respite from the strong winds on Friday, firefighters still struggled to make any headway on the Kincade Fire in northern California’s wine country. The 22,000-acre blaze was only 5 percent contained by Friday evening.
Fire officials said 49 structures, including 21 homes, were destroyed and the Geysers geothermal facilities run by Calpine Corp. reported some damage. Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, PG&E said Thursday that one of its transmission lines experienced problems Wednesday night around the area where the fire broke out.
A small metal link connecting Pacific Gas and Electric Co. electrical lines on a burned Mountain transmission tower malfunctioned in the moments before the Kincade Fire sparked. The start of the Kincade Fire was captured on cameras operated by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory located at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Gov. Gavin Newsom blasted PG&E at a Friday press conference, noting “they simply did not do their jobs” and promising a complete overhaul of the utility. “Mark my words. It is a new day of accountability,” the governor said, per the LA Times.
The Tick Fire in Los Angeles County
The Tick Fire has grown to 4,615 acres and is 25% contained, fire officials said Saturday morning, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
All but one lane on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway is now open. Three southbound lanes, including the carpool lane, reopened at 10:30 p.m. Friday. Drivers are warned to avoid Bouquet Canyon Road because sheriff’s deputies and firefighters were using it as a primary staging area.
Power cut to 19,253 SDG&E customers as Santa Anas gust to 89 mph near Ramona @grobbins #CaliforniaWildfires #CaliforniaOutages
— Steve Downey (@DowneyInsSvc) October 25, 2019
The good news is that thousands of residents forced to evacuate from the wind-driven fire were allowed back home late Friday amid cooler temperatures, calmer winds, and waning concern over the fire danger.
At least nine structures have been destroyed. Fire crews began inspecting neighborhoods Friday evening – checking what was left in the fire’s wake, officials expected the number of structures destroyed in the fire to rise. The fire still posed a threat to 10,000 other structures as of Friday night.
Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County Friday, freeing up state resources to assist in the firefighting effort.
