California utility begins another blackout amid fire fears

In this Oct. 10, 2019, file photo, Pacific Gas & Electric employees work in the PG&E Emergency Operations Center in San Francisco. Authorities say power outages have started Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, in Northern California after the state's largest utility said it was planning a widespread blackout citing wildfire danger. The Santa Rosa Fire Department tweeted Wednesday that shutoffs had started in the city and it was getting multiple reports of outages. Pacific Gas & Electric said earlier Wednesday it was going forward with blackouts later in the day that could affect 450,000 people in 17 counties of Northern California. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)