A surprise Avista power outage left 1,500 Spokane residents without electricity as part of a wildfire prevention measure amid high wind concerns.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced that 13 counties, including Butte and Colusa, will likely experience public safety power shutoffs.

U.S. utility firm PG&E Corp said on Monday it has cut power for over 9,000 customers in northern California as a precaution against heightened wildfire risks from high winds. The company said it was monitoring weather conditions across its service territories in California as parts of the state are expected to experience gusty winds,