WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th October, 2019) Some 1.5 million people in California are set to lose power due to a massive offshore wind event, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) said in a notice.
Since Monday, wildfires fanned by strong winds have been raging through two parts of California.
"Due to a widespread dry, offshore wind event on Tuesday (Oct. 29), through midday Wednesday (Oct. 30), PG&E confirmed today that it is in the process of implementing a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) to approximately 597,000 customers in Northern and Southern Sierra, North Bay, Bay Area, Santa Cruz mountains, North Coast and Kern County," the notice said.
Approximately 500,000 customers are already without electric service as a result of PSPS along with another 400,000 customers who were originally impacted by the October 26 move, the release said.
BBC reported that PG&E already faces an investigation by regulators in California after cutting power to almost a million properties in a bid to reduce the fires. The report said thousands of residents near the wealthy Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles have been told to evacuate because of a wildfire that began early on Monday.
Among those who have fled the fire, which started near the Getty Center arts complex include celebrities such as actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger and basketball star LeBron James.
