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California Fires Spread as Utilities Cut Power
In brief
Hot, dry Santa Ana winds fanned several brush fires across Southern California on Friday, October 16, 2026, while utilities cut power to large areas as a precaution. More than 150,000 customers across the state were without electricity, according to outage trackers cited by the Times of India and the Associated Press.
Where are the fires?
The Bryson Fire near Malibu grew to about 200 acres overnight and led to evacuation orders and warnings in parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, with more than 285 firefighters assigned, according to reports citing AP. Smaller fires on Thursday prompted brief evacuations in the foothills above Azusa and in the Las Flores area of Camp Pendleton; crews stopped the Azusa fire’s spread after it burned more than 40 acres.
Who has lost power?
Southern California Edison switched off power to more than 70,000 customers, including about 34,000 in Los Angeles County and 48,000 in Ventura County, NBC Los Angeles reported. Edison has said up to about 258,000 customers in seven counties could be affected through the weekend, and Pacific Gas and Electric warned about 88,000 customers in Northern California, USA Today reported. Utilities say lines must be inspected before power returns.
The National Weather Service kept red flag warnings in place, with gusts forecast up to 50 to 70 mph in some mountains and dangerous conditions expected through Saturday. Residents should follow local officials and their utility’s outage map. ViralScopeHub is not affiliated with any agency or utility; to convert wind speeds, try our unit converter.
Why it matters
Power shutoffs affect hospitals, schools and people who rely on medical devices, and October winds have driven some of California’s most destructive fires.
Related free tools: Unit Converter
Sources
- USA Today: Thousands of Californians may lose power as Red Flag Warning issued
- NBC Los Angeles: Over 70k SoCal customers without power amid dangerous Santa Ana winds
- The Times of India: California wildfires spread amid strong winds; over 150,000 customers without power
- AP News: Hot, windy weather stokes brush fires in Southern California; power turned off for many
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