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More than 2 million Californians were recently left without power after the state’s largest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric — which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year — preemptively shut down transmission lines in fear that they might spark fires during periods of high autumn winds. Consumers blame the state for not cleaning up dead trees and brush, along with the utility companies for not updating their ossified equipment. The power companies in turn fault the state for so over-regulating utilities that they had no resources to modernize their grids.

Many people are without cell service after PG&E cut power to two milllion people and wildfires burn across California. In Marin County, close to 50 percent of all cell sites are down. In Sonoma County, 17 percent of sites are without power.  "The biggest concern is that when it comes to 911 calls, 81 percent of 911 calls are made from your wireless phone so having cell sites down it's an incredible public safety concern that consumers cannot access emergency services," said Ana Maria Johnson with the California Public Utilities Commission. Johnson said cell towers don't have back-up power systems because cell companies are not required...

High winds are making things even scarier in California as wildfires are flaring up all over the state. Millions are being evacuated to safer areas and thousands of homes are still at risk. In Los Angeles, there’s a flurry of activity inside the command center and staging area with fire teams on high alert, getting ready for what could be the most crucial and difficult 36-48 hours of their fight. The National Weather Service has issued, for the first time in their history, an Extreme Red Flag Warning. The big concern is wind.

A fast-moving brush fire that was touched off early Wednesday burned its way to about a hundred yards from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, forcing evacuations in the area. Police and fire vehicles could be seen surrounding the library compound in the morning, and helicopters flew low overhead, dropping water and fire retardant on the flames. Heavy winds gusting to more than 60 miles an hour made it difficult to walk at times, and tumbled over museum signs that had been weighted with sandbags. The blaze, named the Easy fire, grew quickly to cover 972 acres — doubling...

Former California Governor Jerry Brown told Congress on Tuesday that President Donald Trump and the Republican Party were responsible for the ongoing California fires because of their opposition to drastic climate change policies. “California’s burning while the deniers make a joke out of the standards that protect us all,” Brown told the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday, as quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle. “The blood is on your soul here and I hope you wake up. Because this is not politics, this is life, this is morality. … This is real.” Brown was testifying against efforts by the Trump...

Wildfires are continuing to ravage California as they force 200,000 people to flee their homes and threaten celebrity mansions and LA's Getty Center which houses historic artwork. Northern California, which has been hit hard by the Kincade Fire, also reported a minor 3.3 magnitude earthquake on Monday just after 1am local time not far from the wildfire that has forced 80,000 residents in that area out of their homes. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake. The state has been plagued by at least nine wildfires since last week with the latest blaze to break...

Wildfires are continuing to ravage California as they force 200,000 to flee their homes and threaten the Getty Center which houses historic artwork. NBA star LeBron James was among those to flee their homes. He took to Twitter writing: 'Man these LA (fire emoji) aren't no joke. Had to emergency evacuate my house and I've been driving around with my family trying to get rooms. No luck so far!' Eighteen minutes later he wrote an update: 'Finally found a place to accommodate us! Crazy night man!' He also added: 'I (praying hands) for all the families in the area that...

SEPULVEDA PASS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A fire erupted on a hillside along the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass area early Monday morning. The fire broke out on a hill around 1:30 a.m. close to the southbound side of the 405 Freeway at Getty Center Drive near the Getty Center museum. It quickly burned 75 acres and jumped the freeway. The California Highway Patrol said homes in the area were being threatened and all offramps on the southbound side from Sepulveda to Sunset Boulevard were shut down. Mandatory evacuations were issued for the MountainGate and Mandeville Canyon communities as...

New evacuations were ordered for at least 50,000 people living in Sonoma County near a huge wildfire and millions of Californians will have their power cut again as the state's largest utility said it would cut power again for the third time in as many weeks because of looming strong winds and high fire danger....PG&E said it would begin blackouts in the afternoon for about 940,000 homes and businesses in 36 counties for 48 hours or longer throughout the San Francisco Bay area, wine country and Sierra foothills. The blackouts are expected to last until Monday

Watching ABC local news . A fire is burning in Canyon Country. Moving fast. Approx. 850 acres so far.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pacific Gas & Electric Company is considering potential power shutoffs this week for portions of 17 counties, citing strong winds as the reason, the company said Sunday evening. Extreme weather conditions and dry fuels projected to last about 18 to 24 hours on Oct. 23 and 24 may cause a Public Safety Power Shutoff to counties across Northern and Central California, according to PG&E.

Porter Ranch, Saddleridge fire. Fire coming from manholes. #CaliforniaFires Video: Matt Dejoy

This is an urgent message from the County of Santa Clara Office of Emergency Management. The time is 11:27 p.m. (PST, Wednesday October 8, 2019). Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has begun the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), for areas of Santa Clara County. Your location could be affected and lose power for up to seven daysPG&E is providing a Customer Resource Center that will have charging stations for phones and plug-in medical devices, drinking water, air conditioning, and other amenities. This will be offered at the Avaya Stadium, at 1123 Coleman Avenue, San Jose 95110 from 8:00 a.m. to...

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...

PG&E Corp. stock cratered Monday after the company said it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid the financial anguish stemming from its part in helping spark a wave of historic wildfires in California. Shares of the company dropped nearly 50 percent in early trading Monday, one day after the company said Chief Executive Geisha Williams was stepping down. The company provided the official 15-day advance notice that it and its wholly owned subsidiary, Pacific Gas and Electric, intend to file petitions to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on or about Jan. 29.

In a post on his website, Young said he hoped the calamitous fires would urged people to take action on the impact of climate change. “Firefighters have never seen anything like this in their lives. I have heard that said countless times in the past two days, and I have lost my home before to a California fire, now another,” he wrote. “Hopefully we can come together as a people to take climate change on. We have the tools and could do it if we tried. There is no downside.”

The unrelenting Camp Fire’s death toll has reached 23, making it the third deadliest wildfire in California history, officials said Saturday night. This grim milestone came as firefighters focused resources on the fire’s southern edge amid expected high winds that could swing flames toward the city of Oroville. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said 10 bodies were found in the town of Paradise, which was leveled in the firestorm on Friday – seven were found in homes, three were found outdoors. He said four more bodies were recovered in Concow, a few miles east of Magalia – two in their...

Wildfires in Southern California aided by wind have driven 200,000 from their homes, and have forced schools throughout the area to close. The largest fire started in Santa Paula, California, on Monday, but there are now five separate fires. Here’s a glimpse into some of the destruction California is facing.