Starting at midnight Tuesday, California utility companies started shutting off power to hundreds of thousands of people in high fire danger areas.
San Jose, a city with a population of more than 1 million, is preparing to lose power -- along with 34 other counties across the state.
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) said an estimated 800,000 customers could be without power.
PG&E said it is expecting high winds Wednesday and Thursday with isolated gusts up to 70 mph. At a press conference Tuesday, the electric company said strong offshore winds have led to catastrophic wildfires in the past.
Portland General Electric (abbreviated PGE - not to be confused with PG&E) is working on a ‘comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan.' It’s considering preventative power outages in areas at risk of wildfires, such as Welches and Government Camp.