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(CNN) - The largest utility company in California cut off power to hundreds of thousands of residents to avoid forest fires, surprising some despite months of previous warnings.
A forecast of strong winds presents a great fire hazard, which led Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to make a preventive cut to reduce the risk of fires caused by power lines, the company said.
Here are some answers to the key questions:
(BRITTANY HOSEA-SMALL / AFP via Getty Images)
How long will the cuts last?
At least a week for some.
The wind is expected to decrease on Friday and PG&E teams will examine your system for damage and begin restoring power to customers. That could take several days after the wind calms down, company officials said.
How many people will be affected?
PG&E had cut power supply to almost 800,000 customers in northern California on Wednesday night. The utility said it expected to restore service to tens of thousands of customers on the same day, if it could be done safely.
By the end of the series of interruptions, almost 2 million people could see each other for days, said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. Clients in 34 counties will be affected.
Why cut the power?
Some of the deadliest fires in northern California have been attributed to downed power lines.
Last year's devastating Camp Fire that killed 85 people and destroyed thousands of structures was started by power lines owned by PG&E. The company filed for bankruptcy in January due to the pressure of owing billions of dollars in claims related to deadly forest fires.
To avoid being blamed for another forest fire, utility companies have decided to cut power during high winds when the risk of fire is high. In addition to PG&E, the utility company Southern California Edison also cut off the supply to a small number of people in the affected areas.
Can people charge their phones?
PG&E has established about 30 community centers that provide services that include air conditioning, bathrooms, bottled water and electronic charging stations.
What about traffic lights? They're working?
Probably not in the affected areas, so don't try to get on the roads, the mayor of San José said. If you reach an intersection without a functioning traffic light, treat it as a four-way stop, Liccardo said.
Service stations and ATMs will also be closed during closing, he said.
Will it affect the cell phone service?
With the power supply cut off, residents will depend primarily on their phones for updates and communication with their loved ones. And the main cell phone companies say they are working to ensure the cellular service works.
Companies like Sprint and T-Mobile said they have generators available at the main cell points to ensure they remain in service and that they are implementing generators for those who don't have them.
"We have permanent generators in key cell sites to ensure that they remain in service and that other sites are prepared with backup battery," says T-Mobile.
What public facilities will be closed?
Several school districts and an important university have canceled classes. And officials in cities like San José are urging people who depend on medical devices to charge them in certain community centers that will continue to function. Police, fire, water, sewer and garbage collection services will continue their operations and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system is not expected to close, but in some stations the stairs mechanics would not work.
California