Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Newsom Declares Emergency Over Wildfires
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
August 18, 2020

Share

SAN FRANCISCO — Gov. Gavin Newsom declared an emergency Tuesday over wildfires burning throughout California as the state’s power grid operator pleaded with residents and businesses to continue conserving energy to avoid rolling blackouts.

The state is in a days-long heatwave that has stressed the electrical system and resulted in rolling blackouts over two nights last weekend. The strong ridge of high pressure responsible for the heatwave was expected to weaken, but excessive hot weather was forecast for the weekend as families stay at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Steve Berberich, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator, praised customers for astonishing conservation efforts that kept the power on Monday night.

He said operators were stunned by the “dramatic flattening” of consumption at 3 p.m. Monday after his office warned that as many as 3.3 million homes and businesses would be affected by rotating, two-hour outages. The order never was issued and the warning was canceled.

“It was stunning the conservation response that we got,” he said Tuesday. “I know it’s hot and I know it’s hard, but those same actions today can make all the difference in the world.”

The state is in a days-long heatwave that has stressed the electrical system and resulted in rolling blackouts over two nights last weekend. The strong ridge of high pressure responsible for the heatwave was expected to weaken, but excessive hot weather was forecast for the weekend as families stay at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Newsom declared a statewide emergency Tuesday, saying that hundreds of wildfires were burning in the state, with some sparked by lightning. “We are deploying every resource available to keep communities safe as California battles fires across the state during these extreme conditions,” he said.

Evacuations were in effect or growing in the Napa County wine country north of San Francisco Bay, near Salinas in Monterey County, around Oroville Dam north of Sacramento and near the Nevada state line north of Lake Tahoe.

A fire in Napa County was burning close to remote grape-growing properties owned by Villa Del Lago Winery.

“Our vineyard workers had to evacuate very quickly. And we heard this morning that there was zero containment, so that’s scary. It’s very steep, so I know it’s hard for firefighters to get up there,” said Dawn Phillips, who works in customer service for the winery.

A Second but Shorter Outage Hit Saturday Evening, Affecting More Than 200,000 Customers

In Southern California, evacuations continued for a week-old fire in the mountains of northern Los Angeles County. Dynamic weather churned up thunderstorms bringing the double threat of more lightning-sparked fires and flash floods.

California ISO issued the first rolling blackouts in nearly 20 years on Friday, resulting in the state’s three biggest utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — turning off power to more than 410,000 homes and businesses for about an hour at a time until the emergency declaration ended 3 1/2 hours later.

A second but shorter outage hit Saturday evening, affecting more than 200,000 customers.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown called the rolling blackouts “a kerfuffle, not a crisis,” adding that California’s bigger challenge will be boosting its renewable energy sources to handle the increased demand for electricity that will come due to climate change.

Berberich credited large power users, businesses, and residential customers for their good work. He initially said the state may be short 2,700 megawatts around 7 p.m. Tuesday, which is smaller than the 4,400-megawatt shortage projected for Monday. The shortage of 4,400 megawatts equates to about 3.3 million homes and businesses.

Later Tuesday afternoon, California ISO tweeted that consumer conservation was making a dent but that outages were still likely because of shortfalls.

Newsom signed a different emergency proclamation Sunday allowing some energy users and utilities to tap backup energy sources, which helped with Tuesday’s energy needs. He also demanded an investigation into Friday and Saturday blackouts.

Scorching weather has hit other Western states, making it harder for California to import extra power.

DON'T MISS

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

DON'T MISS

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

DON'T MISS

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

DON'T MISS

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

DON'T MISS

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

DON'T MISS

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

DON'T MISS

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

DON'T MISS

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

UP NEXT

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

UP NEXT

Big Spenders: These Companies Are Giving the Most to California Legislative Candidates

UP NEXT

Immediate Threat: Mussel Invades California’s Delta, First Time in North America

UP NEXT

Lyft Pays $2.1 Million to Settle Case Alleging the Ride-Hailing Service Deceived Drivers

UP NEXT

Southern California County Official Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charge in COVID Funds Scheme

UP NEXT

Visalia Rollerblader Suffered Major Injuries After Being Struck by Vehicle

UP NEXT

Fresno County Man Indicted for Possessing Stolen Guns

UP NEXT

Anti-Semitic Incident at Oakland Cafe Raises Concerns About Rising Intolerance

UP NEXT

Schwarzenegger Endorses Harris, Warns Against Another Trump Term

UP NEXT

Will Noncitizens Be Able to Vote? This California City Will Decide Their Fate

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

5 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

5 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

5 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

5 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

6 hours ago

Some Republican-Led States Refuse to Let Justice Department Monitors Into Polling Places

6 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal NW Apartment Shooting

6 hours ago

Fresno Murder Suspect Stopped in Las Vegas, Others Wanted

7 hours ago

Trump’s Crowds Are Dwindling as His Campaign Winds Down

7 hours ago

Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on Mexico to Curb Immigration

7 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

A driver suspected of being under the influence crashed into a California Highway Patrol car early Sunday, officials said. Officers were inv...

2 hours ago

A driver suspected of DUI crashed into a parked California Highway Patrol car at a fatal crash scene in Fresno County, sustaining minor injuries and later being cited. (Fresno County SO)
2 hours ago

CHP Car Struck by Drunk Driver While Investigating Another Crash

fresno
3 hours ago

Fresno Man Ejected From Car Dies Off McKinley Avenue

3 hours ago

‘Leave It the Way It Is’: Off-Roaders, Hikers React to Proposal to Change 1.4M Acres of Sierra Forest

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP/Ashley Landis)
5 hours ago

Yankees Retain Cole, Add $36 Million Extension to Keep Ace

Voters cast their ballots at Desert Breeze Community Center in Las Vegas during the last day of in-person early voting in Nevada on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Nearly 75 million people have cast early ballots, making their voices heard amid worry about the process, the outcome and democracy itself. (Bridget Bennett/The New York Times)
5 hours ago

5 Reasons Early Voting Is Overwhelmed With Falsehoods

5 hours ago

Christian McCaffrey Returns to Practice for the 49ers From Achilles Tendon Injury

5 hours ago

California Sues LA Suburb for Temporary Ban of Homeless Shelters

6 hours ago

You May Have Blocked Someone on X but Now They Can See Your Public Posts Anyway

Search

Send this to a friend