PG&E Corp. said it will likely have to cut power in some parts of Northern California on Wednesday due to a forecast of high winds and dry conditions.
The California utility giant’s weather forecasters are tracking a system that is expected to bring wind gusts in high terrain around Lake Shasta and spread south through the Sacramento Valley, according to a posting on the utility’s website. PG&E said residents in seven counties could be impacted by the preemptive power cuts.
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An exceptionally wet winter has resulted in a delay of California’s wildfire season, which typically becomes more active in late autumn when weather patterns bring hot, dry offshore winds that can hasten the spread of wildfires.
PG&E has been cutting power during periods of critical fire weather as a way to reduce the risk of its electric lines sparking a catastrophic blaze, such as the 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people. PG&E pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for its role in that blaze.
