California Wildfires Stir Up Trouble for State's Power Grid

(Bloomberg) -- Northern California wildfires are taking aim at the state’s power grid.

Blazes near Ukiah knocked out high-voltage transmission lines over the weekend, said Anne Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator Corp., which runs most of the state’s grid. Caiso told power plant owners and transmission-line operators to restrict work Monday, anticipating high demand and continued fire threats.

The Golden State is battling eight large fires including the Carr blaze that has killed two firefighters, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The Ranch and River fires are plaguing Mendocino and Lake Counties near Ukiah. The city is located about 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of San Francisco.

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