Big Power Shutoffs in California as Winds Boost Fire Danger

Big Power Shutoffs in California as Winds Boost Fire Danger
A roadside sign warns motorists of extreme fire danger on Grizzly Peak Boulevard, in Oakland, Calif., on Oct. 25, 2020. Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP
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SAN FRANCISCO—Large swaths of California had no electricity Monday as utilities tried to prevent the chance of their equipment sparking wildfires while the fire-weary state was buffeted by powerful winds and dangerously dry weather conditions.

About 300,000 power customers—estimated at more than 1 million people—were in the dark as officials issued warnings for what could be the strongest winds for California this year.