Free Republic

he addressed people who can't afford to replace food that spoiled during the shutoffs

Californian officials warned on Saturday that "historic and extreme" wind conditions were set to fan raging wildfires in the north of the state as millions of residents face power cuts. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as the so-called Kincade Fire spread to 23,700 acres (9,591 hectares) after breaking out on Wednesday in the Sonoma wine region. The blaze, which is burning in remote steep terrain, has destroyed about 50 structures and forced the evacuation of the small community of Geyserville and of nearby vineyard operations. "This is definitely an event that we're calling historic and extreme," David...

Going solar isn’t necessarily any protection from California’s new “planned” power outages, and local residents and businesses are enduring a lot more than just a few inconveniences. Bloomberg’s Chris Martin has a story on California’s troubles with one of my favorite headlines ever: “Californians Learning That Solar Panels Don't Work in Blackouts.” Apparently, many of California’s would-be Earth-savers had no idea that just putting solar panels on their roofs doesn’t mean they’ll have power when PG&E switches it off. As Martin explains:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Expect more preventative power blackouts in California as the climate gets hotter and drier and the wildfire season gets nastier and longer,scientists say.

FULL HEADLINE: Multiple wildfires break out across LA: Terrifying footage shows hundreds of firefighters battling to contain growing blazes in Southern California as one man is killed and 100,000 are forced to flee their homes Saddleridge Brush Fire, broke out after 9pm on Thursday in Sylmar, north of Los Angeles, along the 210 Freeway near Yarnell Street and jumped the highway, according to KTLA. Multiple freeways, including Interstate 5, Interstate 210, and Interstate 405 northbound were shut down at least partially, according to the California Highway Patrol. Fire officials said the Saddleridge Fire consumed more than 4,700 acres by 8am...

With the death toll at 83 and counting, the Camp Fire in Butte County ranks as the deadliest wildfire anywhere in the United States in 100 years. But the last time a wildfire killed this many people in America, many of the circumstances were eerily similar: Parched forests. Strong winds. Terrified townspeople killed while fleeing in their cars. Towns wiped off the map. A nation stunned. It happened in 1918 in Northern Minnesota, near Duluth.