Thu Oct 17 23:20:00 UTC 2024: ## California Utilities Begin Planned Power Outages to Prevent Wildfires
**Sacramento, CA** – California utility giants PG&E and Southern California Edison have begun planned power outages in response to heightened wildfire risk due to strong winds and dry conditions.
PG&E has cut electricity to over 5,450 homes and businesses in four counties north of Sacramento, and warns that an additional 20,000 customers in 24 counties, including parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, may also experience power outages.
Southern California Edison is considering similar public safety power shutoffs for approximately 127,000 homes and businesses in the Los Angeles region.
The National Weather Service has issued red flag fire warnings for areas from Sacramento to San Francisco’s Bay Area and into wine country, and the warnings have been extended to Southern California as Santa Ana winds develop.
These preventative measures are being taken to mitigate the risk of wildfires being sparked by utility equipment during these dangerous conditions.
First Piper 