Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

What’s Behind California’s Frozen Housing Market?

20 hours ago

Oil Prices Rise on Trade War Relief, US Pressure on Russia

21 hours ago

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

23 hours ago

UK Will Recognize Palestinian Statehood in September, Barring Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

23 hours ago

Trump’s EPA to Repeal Core of Greenhouse Gas Rules in Major Deregulatory Move

24 hours ago

US Approval of Israel’s Gaza Offensive Drops to 32%, Poll Shows

1 day ago

Shooter in New York Skyscraper Left Note Blaming NFL for Brain Injury, Mayor Says

1 day ago

Trump Eyes Aug 1 Trade Deals as EU, China Talks Continue, US Commerce Chief Says

1 day ago

Trump Says Many Are Starving in Gaza, Vows to Set up Food Centers

2 days ago
Fire Erupts as Californians Hit With 2nd Round of Blackouts
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
October 24, 2019

Share

GEYSERVILLE — A Northern California wildfire exploded in size early Thursday amid dangerous winds that prompted PG&E to impose electrical blackouts to prevent fires.
Authorities ordered the entire community of Geyserville to evacuate after the fire in the Sonoma County wine region north of San Francisco grew to more than 15 square miles. The town has about 900 residents and is a popular stop for wine country tourists.
The cause of the blaze wasn’t immediately known, but wildfire risk was extremely high as humidity levels plunged and winds gusted up to 70 mph. An Associated Press photographer saw three homes destroyed in the Jimtown area. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.
PG&E on Wednesday began rolling blackouts stretching from the Sierra foothills in the northeast to portions of the San Francisco Bay Area in a bid to keep the electrical grid from causing fires due to wind that can send power lines toppling, starting fires.
The blackouts impacted a half-million people — or nearly 180,000 customers — in 15 counties, and PG&E warned that a second round of outages could occur over the weekend when winds were forecast to return.
Hot and dry Santa Ana winds were expected to hit Southern California Thursday and Southern California Edison warned that it might black out about 308,000 customers — perhaps 750,000 people — depending on the forecast.

The Current Outages Will Last About 48 Hours

San Diego Gas & Electric warned of power shutoffs to about 24,000 customers.

“We understand the hardship caused by these shutoffs. But we also understand the heartbreak and devastation caused by catastrophic wildfires.” — PG&E CEO Bill Johnson
The utilities have said the blackouts are designed to keep winds that could gust to 60 mph or more from knocking branches into power lines or toppling them, sparking wildfires.
Electrical equipment was blamed for setting several fires in recent years that killed scores of people and burned thousands of homes.
“We understand the hardship caused by these shutoffs,” PG&E CEO Bill Johnson said. “But we also understand the heartbreak and devastation caused by catastrophic wildfires.”
The latest outage comes two weeks after PG&E shut down the power for several days to about 2 million people in northern and central California.
The current outages will last about 48 hours, the utility said. But its seven-day forecast shows a likelihood of another planned blackout across a much larger area. The timing wasn’t clear, but it could start as early as Saturday, when even heavier winds are expected to move through.
“This could be the strongest wind event of the season, unfortunately,” PG&E meteorologist Scott Strenfel said.
Strenfel called the current wind event a “California-wide phenomenon.”
Photo of firefighters near the Kincade Fire
Firefighters confer while battling the Kincade Fire near Geyserville, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. Portions of Northern California remain in the dark after Pacific Gas & Electric Co. cut power to prevent wildfires from sparking during dry and windy conditions. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Some of the Frustration Was Being Taken Out on PG&E Employee

The small city of Calistoga, in the Napa Valley, known for its hot springs and wineries, was among those hit by Wednesday’s outage.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Michael Dunsford, owner of the 18-room Calistoga Inn, which has rented two powerful generators for the month at a cost of $5,000. Like many, he felt the outages need to be better managed, better targeted and less expansive.

“Right now, we have no wind. Zero. I don’t even see a single leaf blowing. Did they really have to cut the power right now? When the wind picks up to 40 mph maybe that’s a good time to close the power.” — Michael Dunsford, owner of the 18-room Calistoga Inn
“Right now, we have no wind. Zero. I don’t even see a single leaf blowing. Did they really have to cut the power right now?” he said, shortly after the lights went out and he revved up the generators. “When the wind picks up to 40 mph maybe that’s a good time to close the power.”
“They’re not appreciating enough the impact this has on everybody,” he said about PG&E.
Some of the frustration was being taken out on PG&E employees, the company’s CEO said.
Johnson said a PG&E employee was the target of what appeared to be a deliberate attack in Glenn County. He said a projectile that may have come from a pellet gun hit the employee’s front window. The employee wasn’t hurt.
“There is no justification for this sort of violence,” Johnson said. “Wherever you see crews they are there to help you.”
Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore said PG&E was better this time about getting information to people who would be affected, but he was still astonished by the need to resort to large scale blackouts.
“I am a big believer in shutdowns to prevent fires. But the thing that erodes public trust is when it doesn’t make sense,” he said. “You say, ‘God, I know if we can put a man on the moon … we can manage a (power) grid.'”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Navpreet Singh

DON'T MISS

Tariff Revenues Hit Record $150 Billion Amid Trump’s Trade Talks, Fox Business Reports

DON'T MISS

White House Set to Unveil Closely Watched Crypto Policy Report

DON'T MISS

Warner or Conklin? Fresno State QB Battle Builds Ahead of Kansas Opener

DON'T MISS

Protein Bar Arms Race Is Waged on Store Shelves and Social Media

DON'T MISS

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

DON'T MISS

Russia Has Developed Immunity to Sanctions, Kremlin Says After Trump Tightens Ceasefire Deadline

DON'T MISS

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

DON'T MISS

California Under Tsunami Advisory After Magnitude 8.7 Earthquake

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Dies in DUI Crash, Driver Arrested

UP NEXT

As Trump Cuts Education, Candidates Line Up for California’s Top Schools Job

UP NEXT

What’s Behind California’s Frozen Housing Market?

UP NEXT

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

UP NEXT

New Gallup Poll Reveals Most Immoral Behaviors In America

UP NEXT

What Does Trump Crackdown on Homelessness Mean for California?

UP NEXT

California Governor Candidate Stirs Outrage With Auschwitz ‘Unemployment Plan’ Post

UP NEXT

California May Soon Ban Selling New Glocks Like Kamala Harris Owns

UP NEXT

Trump Asks for Swift Deposition of Murdoch in Epstein Defamation Case

UP NEXT

California School Board Resigns After Audit Reveals $180M in Improper Funding

UP NEXT

NASA Says 20% of Workforce to Depart Space Agency

Warner or Conklin? Fresno State QB Battle Builds Ahead of Kansas Opener

1 hour ago

Protein Bar Arms Race Is Waged on Store Shelves and Social Media

1 hour ago

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

1 hour ago

Russia Has Developed Immunity to Sanctions, Kremlin Says After Trump Tightens Ceasefire Deadline

1 hour ago

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

1 hour ago

California Under Tsunami Advisory After Magnitude 8.7 Earthquake

16 hours ago

Fresno Man Dies in DUI Crash, Driver Arrested

16 hours ago

Madera County Wildfire Burns Near Fairmead, Containment at 0%

16 hours ago

Watch Twin Meteor Showers Reach Their Simultaneous Peak in Summer Skies

17 hours ago

New York Gunman Was Flagged by Security Camera System Before Attack, Sources Say

17 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Navpreet Singh

July 30, 2025 Most Wanted Person of the Day Suspect Name: Navpreet Singh Suspects Date of Birth: November 22, 1997 Physical Description: Ind...

42 minutes ago

Navpreet Singh is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for July 30, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
42 minutes ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Navpreet Singh

President Donald Trump holds the key to the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 7, 2025. (Reuters File)
48 minutes ago

Tariff Revenues Hit Record $150 Billion Amid Trump’s Trade Talks, Fox Business Reports

Representations of cryptocurrencies are seen in this illustration created on August 10, 2022. (Reuters File)
53 minutes ago

White House Set to Unveil Closely Watched Crypto Policy Report

1 hour ago

Warner or Conklin? Fresno State QB Battle Builds Ahead of Kansas Opener

Image of the David Bar, Which Is High in Protein
1 hour ago

Protein Bar Arms Race Is Waged on Store Shelves and Social Media

Destroyed buildings lie in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 28, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
1 hour ago

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a statement to the media at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia May 11, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

Russia Has Developed Immunity to Sanctions, Kremlin Says After Trump Tightens Ceasefire Deadline

President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speak during a tour of the Federal Reserve Board building, which is currently undergoing renovations, in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 24, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend