PG&E briefly shut off power to 48,000 residents as wildfires continue to threaten California's power grid

The nation's largest utility provider, Pacific Gas & Electric, shut off power for approximately 48,000 California customers Tuesday night as part of a planned safety measure in response to worsening wildfire weather conditions, the company said. PG&E said Wednesday afternoon that it has begun restoring power in some locations, and that remaining customers will have their power restored on Thursday.

"It's never an easy decision to turn off the power for safety, but it is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe," PG&E executive vice president Marlene Santos said in a Tuesday statement.  The company said parts of 13 counties were affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoffs, which are issued when there is severe weather that may affect power lines and spread wildfires.