Things are tough in Northern California

When I lived in SF, there were times when we had water rationing, but not desperate measures because of fires.  In 12 years there (some 30-odd years ago), I recall only two occasions where there were large fires in the North Bay.  Lately, practically the whole state goes up in flames every year.   And even then, I don't ever recall measures as drastic as this.

OAKLAND, Calif. — There are no generators for sale here, with all sold out. Plastic gas jugs are in short supply. What there is plenty of, though, is a thin fury directed at one of the nation’s largest utilities after it shut down power to more than half a million customers Wednesday, with further blackouts planned in the hours ahead.

Before dawn, Pacific Gas & Electric flipped the electricity switch off across 20 counties, most of them north of San Francisco, an intentional and highly disruptive hedge against wildfire risk. As California experiences intensifying weather extremes and confronts the sharpening consequences of a changing climate, the power company responsible for starting the deadliest wildfire in state history has undertaken the most extensive planned power outage ever employed.

[...]

PG&E was found responsible for igniting one of [...] two disastrous recent fires, the blaze that tore through Paradise last year, killing 85 people and turning 14,000 homes to ash. The company has since filed for bankruptcy in the face of billions of dollars in liability claims.

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The shut-off could eventually encompass more than half the state’s 58 counties, much of them in Northern California, where two of the deadliest fires in state history have occurred in the past two years. Heavy winter rains followed by extreme dryness and summer heat have created dangerous amounts of natural fuel across the region, increasing the threat that power lines pose. Winds can bring down lines, sparking wildfires, with strong gusts driving the flames quickly out of control and making them almost impossible to contain.

  WaPo

Not sure power outage is safe.

About 513,000 customers were part of the first phase of this Public Safety Power Shutoff in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba counties.

They are currently working on a mainline that, if they can get it safely re-energized, could bring power back to between 60,000 and 80,000 more customers.

[...]

PG&E did tweet out their new website Wednesday night. Many people reported the link was not working, though some were able to get on to the site. A short time later the tweet was deleted. Around 9 PM, PG&E tweeted out a new link that was working for some but then a short time later they deleted that tweet as well.

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Worst fears were realized when a grass fire forced evacuations in Moraga early this morning. PG&E cut power in the area hours before the fire erupted. No injuries and damage to homes have been reported.

  ABC

A guest, visiting from a Caribbean Island, is impressed that at least Californians know that dangerous fire weather is behind the planned outage. "I'm just really glad that we at least know what the reason is, because every once in a while, a planned power outage will take place back home in Trinidad and we have no idea why it's happening, it's just happening because," said Brandon O'Brien.

Silver linings.