Climate Adaptation
Orange Skies Blanket California as Fires, Blackouts Persist
- Dry and windy weather creating ideal conditions for wildfires
- PG&E tries to restore power by end of the day Wednesday
This article is for subscribers only.
Dozens of major fires have smothered California in a dense blanket of smoke, blotting out the sun, turning the sky an ominous shade of orange and coating cars in ash.
The fires have been stoked by a powerful windstorm that prompted PG&E Corp. to switch off power to half a million people to prevent more blazes, but as the winds began to ebb Wednesday, the utility was able to began inspecting lines for damage. By mid-afternoon it had restored power to more than 60,000 homes and businesses.