Fire threat brings 2nd day of power cuts in California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tens of thousands of Northern Californians are without electricity after Pacific Gas & Electric cut power for a second time to reduce the threat of hot, gusting winds knocking down live power lines and sparking wildfires.

The utility said Wednesday it shut off power to more than 48,000 customers in seven Sierra Nevada foothill and wine country counties and the outage will last until the weather improves.

The counties affected are Butte, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sonoma and Napa.

Cooler weather is expected Thursday, but the utility warned that it could take several days to restore power.

Schools throughout the region have cancelled classes and people are seeking relief in stores from temperatures forecast to reach triple digits.