Fires Rage in California as Power Blackouts Fail to Prevent Disaster

Firefighters tend to a structure lost during the Kincade fire off Highway 128, east of Healdsburg, Calif., on Oct. 29, 2019. Philip Pacheco/AFP via Getty Images

Numerous fires swept across California this week amidst widespread power outages, as evidence emerged that electrical equipment may have been involved in the ignition of multiple blazes.

The Maria Fire, which started on Thursday, Oct. 31, quickly spread overnight to more than 8,000 acres on Friday with no containment in the Santa Paula area of Ventura County in Southern California. Areas of Los Angeles County have been placed under mandatory evacuation orders, affecting more than 7,500 people.