California enters uncharted territory: Massive blackouts, historically dangerous wind
SAN FRANCISCO - Northern California braced for a weekend in uncharted territory as Pacific Gas & Electric prepared to shut off power to more than 2 million people as the region faced one of the worst periods of fire weather in a generation.
It's a perilous combination that left many anxiously planning for blackouts and the potential for more destructive wildfires, fueled by 36 hours of intense winds. Some fear they will have to confront fires without power, an experience those who fled this week's Sonoma County fire described as terrifying.
The Diablo winds are expected to pick up Saturday evening and last until Monday morning, longer than the windstorms that fueled the three most catastrophic fires in California history.
"This is definitely an event that we're calling historic and extreme," said David King, meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Monterey office, which manages forecasts for the Bay Area. "What's making this event really substantial and historic is the amount of
