Pacific Gas and Electric Co. expanded its planned wildfire-prevention power shutoffs Wednesday morning, warning that about 88,000 customers in 29 California counties could lose electricity as early as the evening as strong winds and dry conditions threaten to fuel wildfires.
The latest forecast added thousands of customers in Amador and Tuolumne counties, east of Sacramento, as well as Madera County in the central Sierra Nevada foothills.
PG&E said Wednesday that it had added about 25,000 customers to the potential shutoff areas while removing roughly 7,300 others as weather forecasts shifted. The utility had warned Tuesday that about 70,000 customers could lose power. The new estimate represents an increase of about 18,000 customers, although the areas at risk shifted, a PG&E spokesperson said Wednesday morning…