The Latest: PG&E to shut off power to 800,000 in California
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on power shutoffs in California to prevent wildfires (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
A Northern California utility says it will shut off power to more than 800,000 customers in 34 counties to reduce the risk of wildfire amid dry, windy conditions.
Pacific Gas and Electric says it expects to begin shutting down power in some areas starting just after Wednesday midnight.
Michael Lewis, senior vice president of PG&E's electric operations, said it could take "several days to fully restore power after the weather passes and safety inspections are completed."
Windy conditions are expected to last through midday Thursday.
San Francisco is the only county not affected in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.
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11:30 a.m.
Residents in California preparing for power shut-offs that could affect more than 700,000 customers are lining up at gas stations to fill their cars and buying generators, flashlights, ice chests and non-perishable food.
Jennifer Siemens lives in Oroville and says she is bracing for a third blackout in a month. She lost power twice after Pacific Gas and Electric cut power to thousands of customers to prevent its equipment from starting wildfires during warm, windy weather.
Siemens says she is making sure they have bottled water, flashlights and all their electric devices fully charged.
She lost her home in Paradise, a town decimated last year by a fire that killed 85 people. The Nov. 8 blaze was started by PG&E power lines.
Siemens says the outages are hard on her family because it scares their children, who were traumatized during the massive Paradise blaze, and affects their cleaning business.
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10 a.m.
With windy, dry weather in the forecast, California utilities...
