Wildfires

A wildfire erupted in the far southern reaches of San Diego County Tuesday amid extremely windy and dry conditions, rapidly blackening dozens of open acres and prompting evacuations of back-country homes.

California's three largest utilities received approval to collect $27 billion from ratepayers after utility equipment sparked tragic wildfires. The soaring price of electricity has ignited debate about how much California families should bear for the cost of wildfire prevention, whether utilities are balancing risk and affordability and whether the money is being spent wisely.

Fire officials said most of the land that burned in the fire is privately owned, which limits their ability to remove brush.

With destructive wildfires burning on both coasts, fire officials might use jargon unfamiliar to residents of states where such big blazes are relatively rare.

Santa Ana winds will cut through parts of our region in the coming days. Now the National Weather Service is issuing a fire weather watch for parts of San Diego County this Wednesday and Thursday.

Firefighting crews took advantage of calmer weather Sunday to increase containment of a small wildfire in Oakland, California, that burned two homes.

Hundreds of Northern California residents have been ordered to evacuate from their homes in an Oakland neighborhood following a fast-moving fire.

The utility began cutting power Thursday evening to customers in 12 counties, including several in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Supporters of a proposition to ban forced labor in California prisons believe they have a strong message centered on rehabilitation. But as Election Day nears, polls show it’s a toss-up or trailing.

The blaze erupted for unknown reasons about 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of La Posta Road and Old Highway 80 in Campo, just south of Interstate 8 and about five miles west of Golden Acorn Casino.