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Lights out across Northern California
A lot of people reached for flashlights and phone chargers on Sunday after power outages spread across the Bay Area and other parts of Northern California. PG&E shut off electricity in several areas as strong winds and dry conditions raised the risk of wildfires.
Some outages were planned, while others happened unexpectedly as the weather worsened. Tens of thousands of customers were affected as PG&E crews worked to restore power across Northern California.
Families checked outage maps, stores saw longer lines for batteries, and many people worried about how long the blackouts would last.
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Why PG&E cut power on purpose
PG&E said the shutoffs were meant to lower the chance of wildfires starting from electrical equipment. Strong winds can push tree branches into power lines or damage equipment, which may create sparks in dry areas…