Nearly 25,000 customers in California‘s northern and central regions were left with power on Monday as Pacific Gas & Electric shut down the supply as high winds threatened to damage electrical equipment and ignite wildfires.

The supplier also warned that an additional 9,000 customers may also experience power cuts due to similar reasons, according to reports from Associated Press. The warning has been extended till late Tuesday.

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Forecasters issued a red flag warning for extreme fire danger as winds gusted up to 55 mph (89 kph) in mountains and 25 to 45 mph (39 to 72 kph) in valleys. According to statements from National Weather Service’s meteorologist Hannah Chandler-Cooley, the strongest winds are expected through Monday.

Factors like low humidity and a dry climate when combined with high winds expand the risk of trees falling on power lines and spark a fast-spreading wildfire, Pacific Gas & Electric said in a statement on Monday.

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According to a tweet from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a tree fell onto power lines in the Hearst San Simeon State Park and triggered a small brush fire.

Winds were expected to pick up Monday afternoon to evening in Southern California, with projected gusts of 50 to 70 mph (80 to 113 kph). SoCal Edison said it may turn off power to customers in parts of Kern, Ventura and northern Los Angeles counties to reduce the threat of wildfires, according to reports from Associated Press.

The utility began intentionally shutting off power in the fall of 2019 to prevent wildfires after an investigation determined the Camp Fire that wiped out most of the town of Paradise was sparked by its equipment.

Multiple fires, like the Caldor Fire, have disrupted the environment of California this year and have triggered mass firefighting operations across the state, with many leading to evacuations of entire towns.

(With AP inputs)