With the strongest Diablo winds and fire weather of the season predicted for Sunday, Pacific Gas & Electric says it will shut off power for at least 386,000 customers in Northern California.
“We are seeing a dangerous combination of factors with this forecast. High winds, extremely low humidity, record dry fuels on the ground and severe drought,” said PG&E’s Lynsey Paulo.
The 2020 fire season has already proven devastating for the region, and meteorologists fear the windy, dry conditions will stoke the blazes already underway.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Red Flag warning for much of Northern California starting Sunday and into Tuesday for what the agency calls the “strongest event of the year so far.” More than 30 million people are under the warning through the start of next week, according to CNN meteorologist Tyler Mauldin.
