>>>
>>> OVERNIGHT PGE SHUT OFF TRYSTS TO HALF A MILLION CUSTOMERS IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THIS ALL IN AN
EFFORT TO PREVENT WILD FIRES.
IT'S THE BIGGEST PLANNED POWER
SHUT OFF IN STATE
HISTORY.
EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS
ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAYS THIS
SHOULD BE AN ALTARAGE.
THIS MORNING WE'RE ASKING YOU
IF YOU HAVE ARE ANGRY.
A LOT OF YOU ARE NOT HAPPY AT
ALL.
>> BRENDAN HAS BEEN ON TOP OF
THIS STUFF FOR A LONG
TIME.
>> YUP.
>> THE GOVERNOR WEIGHING IN
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE
OUTRAGED.
I WONDERED ABOUT THAT.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME FOR THE
GOVERNOR TO BE SAYING
THAT SPEAK TO THAT.
>> IT'S CERTAINLY INTERESTING
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE
FACT WE CONFRONTED ABOUT THE
POLITICAL MONEY HE TOOK
AS DONATIONS FROM PGE WHICH
GIVE BACK.
MORE THAN EIGHT OUT OF TEN
STATE LAW MAKERS THIS
CAN'T JUST A ONE POLITICIAN
THING.
>> RIGHT.
>> PGE IS HEAVILY INVESTED INTO
THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND HAVE PAID TO
KEEP THEMSELVES AT THE
TOP OF THIS POWER SCHEME THAT
THEY'VE GOT GOING ON
AND THAT'S AN ORGANIC MONOPOLY
THAT DEVELOPED OVER
100 YEARS BUT IT'S REALLY THIS
MOMENT RIGHT NOW IS
SHOWING US THAT THE LACK OF
MAINTENANCE AND THE LACK
OF CARE PUT INTO MAINTAINING
THOSE POWER LINES AND
MAKING SURE THEY'RE SAFE ENOUGH
TO OPERATE WHEN WE
GET WINDY DAYS THE LACK OF THAT
WORK IS REALLY
COMING HOME TO ROSES RIGHT NOW.
I WAS JUST IN FEDERAL COURT
YESTERDAY WHERE PGE WAS
TALKING TO A CRIMINAL JUDGE
BECAUSE THEY WERE
CONVICTED OF SIX FEDERAL
FELONIES TIED TO THAT GAS
EXPLOSION AND THE JUDGE SAYS
HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.
HE'S BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF
PRESSURE ON PGE TO DO
THESE SHUT OFFS BECAUSE IN HIS
VIEW AND HE SAID IT
AGAIN YESTERDAY IT'S BETTER
THAN BURNING DOWN AN
ENTIRE COUNTY.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> AND WE'VE SEEN 107 PEOPLE
DIE IN MULTIPLE FIRES
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS SO YEAH
THE SHUT OFFS ARE NO
FUN.
PEOPLE HAVE BUT WHAT WE'RE
STUCK WITH RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU MENTIONED BROUGHT OVER A
REALLY GOOD POINT
EARLIER RIGHT NOW THIS IS WHAT
WE HAVE.
TEN YEARS FROM NOW WE WON'T
ACCEPT THIS AS A PEOPLE
FROM THIS POWER COMPANY.
>> IT DOESN'T FEEL FIRST WORLD.
>> YEAH.
>> BOTTOM LINE IT DOESN'T.
WE LIVE IN THE MOST INNOVATIVE
STATE AND ALL OF THIS
TECH IN OUR BACK YARD AND WE'RE
DOING ALL OF THESE
GREAT THINGS AND WE CAN'T HAVE
THE LIGHTS COME ON
WITH OUR OWN WEATHER PEOPLE
CANNOT SIT FOR IT.
>> NO.
>> WE UNDERSTAND WHY BUT PEOPLE
ARE INCONVENIENCED
BECAUSE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN
NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
SO AS A BUSINESS MODEL YOU
WOULD THINK THIS COULD
HAPPEN 10 TO 15 TIMES A YEAR
WHERE TOWNS ARE SHUT
DOWN AND MULTIPLY THAT TIMES
HOW MANY YEARS THERE
HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY OF DOING
THIS.
>> AND IT COMES DOWN TO TRUST
AND RIGHT NOW TRUST IS
IN SHORT SUPPLY AND TRUST IN
THE SAFETY OF THEIR
EQUIPMENT IS PRETTY MUCH NON
EXISTENT.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE ARRIVED.
>> OKAY.
>> BRAND YAN THANK YOU FOR ALL
OF THE WORK YOU'VE
BEEN DOING WITH LETTING PEOPLE
KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE HAVE AN OUTAGE MAP UP FOR
YOU AND ALL OF THE
AREAS IN PURPLE ARE CITIES AND
TOWNS RIGHT NOW THAT
ARE WITHOUT POWER.
SO THIS ALL STARTED IN MIDNIGHT
SO IT'S GOING TO
CONTINUE THERE'S GOING TO BE
ANOTHER ROUND OF
OUTAGES COMING UP AT NOON AND
WHO IS NEXT THE SECOND
WAVE OF OUTAGES AND THE
SCHEDULED THIRD WAVE WHICH
IS ALWAYS TBA WHERE PGE IS
GOING TO REASSESS THE
SITUATION AND LET US KNOW
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT
THAT POINT BASED ON WHERE
THINGS ARE AT THAT POINT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING WHEN
IS MY POWER GOING TO
GO OUT, WHEN WILL IT COME BACK
ON.
WE HAVE AN OUTAGE MAP FOR YOU.
YOU CAN GET THAT OUTAGE MAP
(916)321-3310.
WE WILL HOOK YOU UP WITH
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
AND WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK.
ABC 10 IS LIVE AT CALIFORNIA'S
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF
EMERGENCY SERVICES.
FIRST WE'RE GOING TO CHECK IN
WITH CARLOS HERRERRA
IN AUBURN ONE OF THOSE CITIES
HARDEST HIT BY THE
SHUT OFFS.
WE'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU ALL
MORNING.
IT WAS SO DARK OUTSIDE WHEN THE
POWER WAS OUT.
IT'S BRIGHTER NOW.
>> YEAH.
MORE OF THE SAME HERE.
AT A GAS STATION OFF OF HIGHWAY
49 AND CREEK ROAD
MANY IMPACTED BY THIS POWER
SHUT OFF SINCE MIDNIGHT.
HERE'S THE FIRST AND MOST
IMPORTANT ONE OF ALL.
THIS IS THE MAIN GAS STATION
OFF HIGHWAY 49 THE ONE
THAT PEOPLE SEE HEADING NORTH
ON HIGHWAY 49 TO TACH
I-80 A BIG INCONVENIENCE
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN CLOSED
SINCE NID NIGHT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND
OUT TRYING TO FILL UP.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO AND
UNFORTUNATELY THE CLOSEST
GAS STATION IS ROCKLAND A 15-
MILE DRIVE.
ANOTHER INFOBLOX CONVENIENCE IS
THE TRAFFIC ON
HIGHWAY 49.
IT IS BACKED P ONE MILE NORTH
AND THEN EIGHT MILES
SOUTH SO GETTING ONTO 80 IS A
BIG PROBLEM.
ANOTHER INCONVENIENCE BUSINESS
OWNERS.
HE'S BEEN HERE ALL MORNING
PILING UP STUFF AND
LOADED ONTO THE PICK UP TRUCK
TRYING TO SAVE AS MUCH
AS YOU CAN.
HE'S BEEN AT IT ALL MORNING
LONG.
WE SPOKE WITH DRIVERS EARLIER
THIS MORNING WHO ARE
PRETTY MUCH STRANDED.
HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID.
>> EVERY MORNING.
>> YOU'RE RUNNING ON EMPTY SO
NOW WHAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN.
>> I'M NOT AWARE HOW FAR DOWN
THE ROAD YOU'VE GOT TO
GO TO GET POWER OR A SIGNAL OR
MAKE A PHONE CALL.
IT'S PRETTY CONFUSING AND WE
DIDN'T GET ANY WARNING.
THE FIRST I HEARD ABOUT THIS
WAS YESTERDAY.
>> MOST PEOPLE WE SPOKE WITH
TOLD US THEY WERE ONLY
NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE PLANNED
OUTAGES YESTERDAY SO
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO
PLAN AHEAD.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BUSINESS
AGAIN EMPLOYEES
STANDING OUTSIDE.
CONES IN PLACE PEOPLE TRYING TO
BUY STUFF.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
THEY'RE DISPECTING TO BE CLOSED
FOR THE REST OF THE
WEEK.
AGAIN INCONVENIENCE AND MORE
INCONVENIENCES FOR
FOLKS HERE IN AUBURN.
>> CARLOS LIVE IN AUBURN AS
HE'S BEEN ALL MORNING
LONG TALKING TO THE PEOPLE MOST
AFFECTED.
THANK YOU CARLOS.
LET'S GO TO GIACOMO LUCA AND
GIACOMO IS OVER AT THE
CAL OFFICE OF EMERGENCY
SERVICES TALKING TO NOT ONLY
CAL OES BUT ALSO TO PGE.
GIACOMO?
>> WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
ORGANIZATIONS FROM REALLY ALL
ACROSS THE STATE MANY
REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS ROOM
RIGHT BEHIND ME WHO REPRESENT
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE
NATIONAL GUARD, CAL FIRE, OF
COURSE CAL OES, THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
LOTS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS
ARE HERE MONITORING
THE SITUATION ACROSS THE STATE.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE
ORGANIZATION THAT'S
SPECIFIC AND THAT'S THE
CALIFORNIA UTILITY EMERGENCY
ASSOCIATION AND TALK ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING AND
ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY DO IS
REPRESENT A GROUP OF
CALIFORNIA ORGANIZATIONS THAT
REPRESENT ALL OF OUR
UTILITIES SO GAS AND ELECTRIC,
WATER,
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND WHAT
THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
CREWS ON STAND WSM ALL ACROSS
THE STATE AS WELL AS
IN OTHER STATES AND WHAT
THEY'RE DOING IS TRYING TO
GET PERMITTING SO THEY CAN
BRING IN SOME CREWS FROM
OUT OF STATE SUCH AS BRINGING
IN GENERATORS BRINGING
IN POP UP CELL TOWERS IN THE
EVENT THAT WHEN THIS
POWER OUTAGE AFFECTS SUCH A
LARGE POPULATION THAT
THEY CAN BRING IN OTHER
SERVICES AND POTENTIALLY
EVEN POWER THINGS LIKE.
AND THEY RUN OUT OF EVEN THE
BACK UP POWER.
SO FOLKS HERE ARE REALLY
PLANNING AS MUCH AS THEY
CAN AND AS BEST AS THEY CAN TO
PREPARE FOR WHAT IS
EXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST SEVERAL
DAYS OF POWER OUT
FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND
CUSTOMERS ACROSS THE
REGION.
BACK TO YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU GIACOMO.
THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION
THERE DEFINITELY GETTING
READY.
>> YEAH.
LET'S SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
OUR FORECAST.
ROB IS IN.
THE WINDS CERTAINLY HAVE PICKED
UP IN THE LAST HOUR.
>> OH YEAH.
I'VE GOT DEBRIS ALL OVER THE
PLACE HERE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S WE'RE
JUST GETTING INTO
FOLKS.
YOU HEAR THE WIND ON MY
MICROPHONE, SEE THE PLANTS
BLOWING AROUND.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S
TONIGHT AND FOR MORE PLACES
IN THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS IT
HASN'T BEEN THAT WINDY
YET AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS
FRUSTRATED BECAUSE
THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE ANY
SENSE BUT IF ALL OF
THE WIND AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
SOME OF THESE BIG TRANSMISSION
LINES ARE AND WHAT'S
COMING THAT YOU WANT TO GET
AHEAD OF IT.
IT'S FRUSTRATING BUT THERE IS A
METHOD TO SOME OF
THIS AS ENORMOUSLY FRUSTRATING
AS IT IS.
OKAY FOLKS THIS IS WHAT I'M
TALKING ABOUT.
THE HUGE AREA OF A RED FLAG
WARNING DOESN'T REALLY
KICK IN WEATHER WISE UNTIL
ABOUT 8:00.
IT'S ALREADY ON GOING FOR THE
VALLEY FLOOR AND BAY
AREA AND SEEN GUSTS 28 MILES
PER HOUR PRETTY
CONSISTENTLY IN AND AROUND
SACRAMENTO STARTING TO
SPREAD INTO STOCKTON AND
MODESTO AS WELL.
WHAT'S FRUSTRATING IS THE WIND
LINED UP PERFECTLY
FOR THE VALLEY HUGGING THE
VALLEY FLOOR AND THAT'S
WHERE IT'S THE STRONGEST BUT
IT'S STRUGGLING A
LITTLE BIT HIGHER UP IN
ELEVATION.
GIVE IT SOME TIME AND THAT WIND
FIELD WILL EXPAND
AND INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE OTHER
PLACES.
YESTERDAY WE WERE CLOSE TO 90
DEGREES.
70S WITH SOME WIND SPEEDS
RAMPING UP.
SO LET'S TIME THIS OUT.
WHEN DO WE REALLY SEE IT KICK
IN?
CERTAINLY ALL DAY LONG WINDY.
BY TONIGHT EXPANDING TO MORE
AREAS THE SIERRA GETS
LOOPED INTO THIS THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT WHEN IT'S
DARK AND A FIRE DOES START.
REMEMBER THIS IS ALL ABOUT
FIRE.
I KNOW RIGHT NOW ABOUT POWER
BUT THIS ULTIMATELY
COULD TURN INTO A FIRE STORY AT
ANY POINT TODAY AND
CERTAINLY TONIGHT.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
LAST TIME WE SAW WEATHER LIKE
THIS FOR THIS REGION
2017 OF OCTOBER WHEN THE WINE
COUNTRY AND FIRE IN
SANTA ROSA BROKE OUT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THAT
SCENARIO.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WORSE
WHEN PEOPLE ARE
SLEEPING.
WALT?
SLEEPING. WALT? >> YEAH YOU'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THAT ROB OVERNIGHT
IT'S GOING TO BE HOT.
THANK YOU.
WE DID TALK TO FOLKS IN AUBURN
BEFORE THE LIGHTS
WENT OUT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE STOCKING
UP HARDWARE STORES
LOOKING FOR EXTENSION CORDES,
WATER COOLERS,
GENERATORS WHICH PRETTY MUCH
SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE.
SOME PEOPLE SAYING THEY DIDN'T
FEEL PREPARED.
>> WE WERE KIND OF CAUGHT OFF
GUARD AND HADN'T
REALLY THOUGHT THAT THE POWER
WAS GOING TO GO OUT
AND THEN GOT ALL OF THE
WARNINGS AND EVERYTHING BUT
WE JUST KIND OF THOUGHT IT'S
NOT GOING TO GO OUT
THIS TIME BECAUSE WE'RE A
LITTLE TOO FAR SOUTH.
>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY
NEED TO DO BECAUSE IT
WOULD HELP SAFETY MEASURE WISE
BUT OVERALL IT WILL
UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND
THERE'S GOING TO BE POWER
OUT FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG.
>> GOOD POINT.
IT COULD BE DAYS.
THAT HOME DEPOT IN AUBURN WAS
EXPECTED TO RECEIVE 40
NEW GENERATORS THIS MORNING
WHICH WILL PROBABLY GO
VERY QUICKLY.
KIRSTEN?
>> 9:42 RIGHT NOW.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAD TO DECIDE
WHETHER TO KEEP
SCHOOLS OPEN THROUGHOUT THESE
OUTAGES.
CLASSES ARE CANCELED FOR COUNTY
UNIFIED, ELD DORADO
UNION, STONEY CREEK, JOINT
UNIFIED, SOME SCHOOLS,
HUM BOLT UNIFIED, SPART O
UNIFIED AND PUBLIC PINES
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OVER IN THE BAY AREA CLASSES
ARE CANCELED FOR COUNTY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UC BERKELEY
AND MILLS COLLEGE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP TABS ON THE
SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN
OUR AREA AND FIND AN UPDATED
LIST ON ABC10.COM AND
WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED.
WALT?
>>> P IMSK E HAS RESOURCE
CENTERS IN THE COMMUNITY
WITHOUT POWER THIS MORNING.
FREE PLACES TO CHARGE YOUR
PHONE AND GET SOME AC BUT
THERE'S ONLY ROOM FOR 100 AT
EACH LOCATION.
THEY OPEN AT 8 THIS MORNING AND
WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 6
TONIGHT AND THEY'LL BE OPEN
SLONGSZ THE POWER
OUTAGES LAST WHICH MAY BE A
WHILE.
FOR A LIST OF LOCATIONS ON OUR
WEBSITE ABC10.COM.
>>> 9:43 RIGHT NOW.
LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE THINKING
ABOUT ELECTRICITY OR THE
LACK THEREOF.
BUT AS ABC 10 LENA HOLLAND
FOUND OUT WE DID FORGET
ABOUT COMES INTO PLAY IN TIMES
LIKE THIS TOO.
>> IN CALIBER ASYLUM SEEKERS
COUNTY WHERE THEY ARE
DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET THIS
MESSAGE OUT THERE IF
YOUR POWER IS SHUT OFF YOU MUST
CONSERVE WATER.
NO WASHING CARS, FILLING UP
POOLS OR WATERING LAWNS.
THEY'RE ALSO URGING CUSTOMERS
TO TURN OFF THEIR
LANDSCAPING SYSTEMS, TAKE ONLY
SHORT SHOWERS AND
FLUSH THE TOILET ONLY WHEN
NECESSARY.
THEY SAY WASTE WATER IS THEIR
BIGGEST CONCERN COMING
FROM SHOWERS WASHING DISHES
DISHWASHERS LAUNDRY
MACHINES AND TOILETS SO IF THAT
BACK UP GENERATOR
FAILS IT'S POSSIBLE THAT COULD
BACK UP INTO YOUR
HOME OR EVEN INTO THE STREET IN
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> THAT CAN BE A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO THE
COMMUNITY SO WE'RE GOING TO DO
EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO
AVOID THAT BUT WE REALLY NEED
THE HELP OF THE
COMMUNITY TO CONSERVE WATER TO
TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF
OF IT.
>> THIS WATER DISTRICT HAS
SPENT MONTHS PREPARING
STRATEGICALLY PLACES BACK UP
GENERATORS LIKE THIS
ONE ACROSS THE AREA BUT IN THE
EVENT THAT ONE OF