Blackouts Tied to Wildfires Are Spreading Beyond California (1)

It’s no longer just California shutting off power in high-risk fire zones.

Oregon’s Portland General Electric Co. on Monday temporarily turned off power for about 5,000 customers near Mt. Hood -- a move it described as a “last resort” as dry winds threatened to take down power lines and ignite fires. It’s the first time such a public-safety shutoff has happened outside the Golden State, according to Michael Wara, director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at Stanford University.

In California, utility giant PG&E Corp. is doing the same in parts of its territory.

The ...