California's descent into third world status accelerates.

An estimated 600,000 PG&E customers — including some 257,000 in the Bay Area — may be forced to endure power shutdowns starting early Wednesday amid a forbidding outlook for severe fire danger in the form of high winds.

Preemptive outages loom across a “vast” swath of Northern and Central California this week, PG&E warned, adding that a “strong and dry wind event” forecast for midweek could prompt the utility to shut down power in as many as 30 counties in an effort to stave off wildfire risk.

The preemptive shutdown warnings were prompted by the prospect of a “potentially widespread, strong and dry wind event Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon” that has elevated the wildfire risk across much of the state, PG&E said.

The wind never caused such problems in years past.  Why all of a sudden will a windy day shut down the power for hundreds of thousands, when ten years ago nothing of the sort would ever be considered?  The very thought was laughable!

South Bay officials said they had been preparing for possible shutoffs for months, though they urged residents to do the same by stocking up on needed food, water, and medicine.

Stock up. Buy a generator. Make sure you have your meds.  Good lord.