The lights are out for about 10,000 Pacific Gas and Electric Company customers in Chico, Redding and Red Bluff.
PG&E spokesperson Melissa Subbotin said Saturday evening that the power outages were due to a request from Cal Fire and to fire burning and damaging the utility’s equipment.
Safety patrols must be done before power can be restored. Power may not be turned back on for many customers until Sunday, Subbotin said.
None of the outages were due to power safety shutoffs, which PG&E had previously communicated could happen to customers due to extreme heat, she said. Of the 10,000 customers without power, 6,800 lost power due to a request from Cal Fire and 3,200 lost power due to the utility’s equipment being burned or damaged by fire, Subbotin said.
Saturday afternoon two fires prompted evacuations in Tehama County. At last report from Cal Fire at 8 p.m., the Stoll Fire near Red Bluff was 500 acres in size and had prompted evacuations for the west side of Baker from Stoll to Walnut. In Paynes Creek, the Lane Fire was 900 acres in size and had prompted evacuations for Ponderosa Sky Ranch and Canyon View Loop.
Evacuation centers were set up for both fires – at the Red Bluff Community Center in Red Bluff for evacuees of the Stoll Fire and at Mineral Elementary School in Mineral for evacuees of the Lane Fire.
PG&E will be contacting customers affected by the outages by phone, Subbotin said. Those who want to know more information about when power will be restored should call customer service, she said. A map of outage locations can be found on the utility’s website.
