California governor declares state of emergency over wildfires


With multiple wildfires burning, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency on Sunday.
The fires have torched roughly 50,000 acres across the state, resulting in the evacuations of at least 180,000 people. The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County has destroyed 79 structures and threatens 31,000 more, the Los Angeles Times reports, and has burned down several wineries, including the historic Soda Rock Winery. Fire officials are worried that the blaze will jump Highway 101, entering an area that hasn't burned since the 1940s. The fire is being fueled by high winds, and there are more than 3,000 local, state, and federal firefighters on the scene. In Southern California, the Tick Fire in Santa Clarita has burned more than 4,600 acres, and is 65 percent contained.
On Saturday night, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. started cutting electricity to 2 million customers in Northern California, and a spokeswoman said on Sunday that the lights might not go back on until Wednesday. The utility is waiting for winds to die down, saying that before the power can be turned back on, workers will have to finish inspecting lines for any damage.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star program
speed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central US
Speed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslides
Speed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
-
Should Los Angeles rebuild its fire-prone neighbourhoods?
Talking Point The latest devastating wildfires must be a wake-up call for Los Angels to 'move away from fire-prone suburban sprawl'
-
The worst wildfires in California history
The Explainer Total damage from the ongoing fires could be up to $150 billion, according to AccuWeather
-
How will home insurance change after LA's fires?
Today's Big Question Climate disasters leave insurance industry in crisis
-
What happens to wildlife during a wildfire?
The explainer Flames also affect the flora and fauna