CALIFORNIA — Powerful winds and ripe fire weather conditions threaten to bring more devastation Wednesday to areas already ravaged by wildfires and ignite new blazes across California.
The Golden State is under a state of emergency as several fires have scorched tens of thousands of acres, forced tens of thousands of evacuations and caused millions to lose power from mandatory shutoffs.
As millions of Californians remain under red flag warnings across the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom is scheduled to visit with fire evacuees in Santa Rosa and residents impacted by power shutoffs in American Canyon on Wednesday, according to his office. Newsom declared a statewide emergency over the weekend due to the fires and dangerous weather conditions.
Active Fires
As of Wednesday morning, firefighters continue to battle at least 11 blazes across the state, according to Cal Fire. Some of the fires ignited late last week and new fires sparked over the weekend and this week.
Fueled by strong winds, several new fires erupted Wednesday morning.
In Ventura County, the rapidly-spreading Easy Fire in Simi Valley has scorched 1,600 acres. The blaze, which broke out near the 118 Freeway and Madera Street, was threatening 7,000 homes homes along with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, with zero containment by Wednesday evening.
More than 26,000 were forced to flee their homes in Simi Valley, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks as the most intense windstorm in a decade blew the flames toward their hillside communities. By midday, several out buildings were destroyed as well as a home on Tierra Rejada, fire officials said.
Also see: Flames Surround Reagan Presidential Library
In Los Angeles County, the Mureau Fire in Calabasas burned 10 acres before crews halted the flames. The fire, which sparked on the north side of the 101 Freeway between Las Virgenes and Mureau Road, initially threatened structures in Calabasas and Hidden Hills.
The Brea Fire in Diamond Bar shut down the 57 freeway, but authorities halted the blaze at 16 acres by the afternoon.
In Riverside County, three fires broke out Wednesday morning. A fire in the Nuevo area burned 5 acres, including multiple structures, forcing evacuation orders. The Hill Fire in Jurupa Valley burned over 600 acres and prompted mandatory evacuations. And the Dexter Fire near downtown Riverside threatened a neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.
The Kincade Fire, which remains the largest fire burning in the state, has blackened 76,825 acres, destroyed 206 structures — including 94 homes — and damaged 40 other structures. Another 90,015 homes and other structures remain threatened by the massive fire, which forced roughly 185,000 people to evacuate their homes.
But containment is growing, Cal Fire officials said, with authorities reaching 30 percent containment Wednesday morning and lifting many evacuation orders later that afternoon. The blaze sparked northeast of Geyserville in Sonoma County on Oct. 23.
Roughly 5,000 local, state and federal personnel were assisting with the Kincade Fire alone.
The Getty Fire sparked before dawn Monday in Los Angeles County on the west side of Sepulveda Pass, where Interstate 405 passes through the Santa Monica Mountains. The fire scorched 658 acres and shut down the 405 Freeway on- and off-ramps and Getty Center Drive.
Thousands of homes in the Brentwood area were evacuated and at least 18 schools were forced to close due to the blaze. At least eight homes have been destroyed. The fire was 27 percent contained Wednesday morning.
The Tick Fire, also in Los Angeles County, broke out Thursday in the Santa Clarita area and was 94 percent contained by Wednesday morning. The fire has burned 4,615 acres, destroyed 29 structures and damaged 42 others. Evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents were lifted over the weekend.
Power Outages
Major utility companies in California have been shutting off power proactively to prevent wildfires after utility lines started massive deadly and destructive fires over the last two years.
The ripe fire weather conditions that sparked and fueled the recent blazes prompted Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the state’s largest utility company, to cut power over the weekend to hundreds of thousands of customers in Northern and Central California.
About 973,000 PG&E customers in 37 counties were impacted by the series of deliberate blackouts. As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, power had been restored to nearly three-quarters of the impacted customers, according to PG&E. As red flag weather conditions returned, however, PG&E started shutting off power again Tuesday to roughly 540,000 in 27 counties.
In Southern and Central California, Southern California Edison announced nearly 319,000 customers could lose power due to planned power shutoffs.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, the utility company had cut off power to 62,571 customers in Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. An additional 304,154 customers could lose power in Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
San Diego Gas & Electric Company announced nearly 41,000 customers could lose power due to precautionary power shutoffs.
As of 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, the utility company had cut off power to 23,209 customers in San Diego and Orange counties. An additional 17,660 customers could lose power.
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