THAT POWER COMPANIES ARE TURNING OFF ELECTRICITY, BUT THAT’S NOT
OFF ELECTRICITY, BUT THAT’S NOT SITTING WELL WITH EVERYONE.
SITTING WELL WITH EVERYONE. THIS MORNING MANY PEOPLE ARE
THIS MORNING MANY PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP IN THE DARK.
WAKING UP IN THE DARK. ACROSS FIRE PRONE AREAS OF
ACROSS FIRE PRONE AREAS OF CALIFORNIA IT’S LIGHTS OUT IN A
CALIFORNIA IT’S LIGHTS OUT IN A HISTORIC MOVE THAT THE GAS AND
HISTORIC MOVE THAT THE GAS AND ELECTRIC, THE LARGEST YOU TILL
ELECTRIC, THE LARGEST YOU TILL DPAN IN THE NATION, IS PULLING
DPAN IN THE NATION, IS PULLING THE PLUG ON SOME 800,000
THE PLUG ON SOME 800,000 CUSTOMERS AFFECTING MILLIONS OF
CUSTOMERS AFFECTING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AS WHIPPING WINDS
PEOPLE AS WHIPPING WINDS THREATEN TO SPARK WILDFIRES FROM
THREATEN TO SPARK WILDFIRES FROM THE COMPANY’S POWER EQUIPMENT.
THE COMPANY’S POWER EQUIPMENT. >> THIS IS ALL IN ORDER TO
>> THIS IS ALL IN ORDER TO MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK IN
MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK IN CALIFORNIA, WHICH WE’RE SEEING
CALIFORNIA, WHICH WE’RE SEEING INCREASE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
INCREASE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. >> Reporter: IN PARTS OF THE BAY
>> Reporter: IN PARTS OF THE BAY AREA AND WINE COUNTRY
AREA AND WINE COUNTRY ELECTRICITY HAS BEEN CUT TO
ELECTRICITY HAS BEEN CUT TO HOMES, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES,
HOMES, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES, EVEN TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE OUT,
EVEN TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE OUT, CREATING PROBLEMS ON THE
CREATING PROBLEMS ON THE ROADWAYS.
ROADWAYS. >> THIS IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE
>> THIS IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE FOR US.
FOR US. IT’S LIFE AND DEATH.
IT’S LIFE AND DEATH. >> Reporter: BUT FOR SENIORS WHO
>> Reporter: BUT FOR SENIORS WHO DEPEND ON POWER TO RUN MEDICAL
DEPEND ON POWER TO RUN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, AND REFRIGERATORS TO
EQUIPMENT, AND REFRIGERATORS TO STORE INSULIN AND OTHER
STORE INSULIN AND OTHER MEDICATIONS, THE BLACKOUT COULD
MEDICATIONS, THE BLACKOUT COULD BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS.
BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. >> THEY TELL ME NOW WE MAY BE
>> THEY TELL ME NOW WE MAY BE OUT FIVE DAYS.
OUT FIVE DAYS. I HAVE TO KEEP MAKING SURE THAT
I HAVE TO KEEP MAKING SURE THAT ALL MY MEDICATION FOR MY
ALL MY MEDICATION FOR MY DIABETES IS REALLY GOING TO STAY
DIABETES IS REALLY GOING TO STAY PUT.
PUT. >> Reporter: WITH MANY WARNED
>> Reporter: WITH MANY WARNED THEY COULD BE IN THE DARK FOR
THEY COULD BE IN THE DARK FOR DAYS THERE’S BEEN A RUN ON
DAYS THERE’S BEEN A RUN ON SUPPLIES AT GAS STATIONS AND
SUPPLIES AT GAS STATIONS AND GROCERY STORES.
GROCERY STORES. THIS, THE LARGEST PREVENTIVE
THIS, THE LARGEST PREVENTIVE SHUTDOWN IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY.
SHUTDOWN IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY. IT COMES AFTER SOME OF THE
IT COMES AFTER SOME OF THE DEADLIEST AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE
DEADLIEST AND MOST DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES THE STATE HAS EVER
WILDFIRES THE STATE HAS EVER SEEN.
SEEN. THE FIRE IN PARADISE, WHICH
THE FIRE IN PARADISE, WHICH KILLED 85 PEOPLE AND DESTROYED
KILLED 85 PEOPLE AND DESTROYED 13,000 HOMES, WAS SPARKED BY
13,000 HOMES, WAS SPARKED BY FAULTY POWER EQUIPMENT.
FAULTY POWER EQUIPMENT. TODAY WITH SEVEN MAJOR WILDFIRES
TODAY WITH SEVEN MAJOR WILDFIRES BURNING IN THE STATE OFFICIALS
BURNING IN THE STATE OFFICIALS ARE NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES.
ARE NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES. THIS MORNING, HOPING TO FLIP THE
