PORTLAND (NewsNation Now) — Widespread power outages hit areas of Oregon and southwest Washington as a windstorm knocked down power lines and brought wildfire smoke to the region.
Approximately 115,000 customers of the major power companies in the area were without power Monday night.
For the first time ever, Portland General Electric turned off the power for roughly 5,000 customers near Mt. Hood Monday evening, a preemptive measure to prevent wildfires.
About 60,000 other PGE customers also lost power as of 8:30 p.m. PT as the winds picked up, with gusts expected to hit between 45 mph and 60 mph. Pacific Power reported 150 outages affecting more than 43,000 customers. The Clark County Public Utilities Department also said nearly 13,000 customers lost power Monday evening.
The wind shifted out of the east and picked up a substantial amount of speed. The winds combined with very dry conditions with low humidity made for a dangerous combination, bringing wildfire smoke throughout Oregon.
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
NewsNation affiliate KOIN contributed to this report.
