CGTN America
Northern California is going through one of its largest forced power shutdowns ever. With high winds forecast, the power cuts are part of a plan to reduce the risk of dangerous wildfires.
CGTN’s Mark Niu has the details.
Even though the Pacific Gas and Power Company – PG&E – shut down power for more than a million people in Northern California, an early morning fire still broke out in the town of Moraga.
No one was injured but 140 homes had to be evacuated.
The cause still isn’t known, but the fire broke out after power in the neighborhood had been shut off.
But with the high winds and dry conditions, fire officials say—better safe than sorry.
“As far as climatic conditions and the nature of fires here in California from what I’ve seen, we’ve had the biggest and most destructive fires in the last five years[edit] so it’s good that everyone is concerned and doing their part to manage the fuels,” Dennis Rein, Spokesperson, Moraga-Orinda Fire said.
As we did the interview, this evacuee wanted to let fire officials and the power company know that despite the inconvenience, she supported the shutdown.
Mardie Potts, an evacuee, said, “I am very grateful. People, this was an alert. This was a wake-up call for all of us. Luckily it was a small wake-up call.”
Even if the winds do end up as strong as predicted, it could take days to restore power in many places. It’s not as simple as flipping on a switch. There are more than 40,000 kilometers of lines to be restored in a multistage process that requires careful inspection.
In numerous Northern California cities like Lafayette, traffic lights are out and businesses closed.
Pat Stanley, a Lafayette Resident, said, “I know a lot of people are upset and inconvenienced. A lot of people didn’t plan. And in forty years I’ve never needed a generator.”
The Lemon gift shop closed when it lost power. But team members came to work in the afternoon to receive deliveries.
Sara Weymouth, Owner of the Lemon, said, “Everything around us is restaurants, grocery stores and they are all closed. Definitely hurt business. I mean it is funny. We are like the tech capital arguably of the world. And PG&E can’t figure out enough for us not to lose power.”
PG&E’s decision has come under fire from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
But many Californians have seen how devastating wildfires can be…and say the temporary loss of power…was worth the inconvenience.
