Oct 28, 2019 - Energy & Environment

2020 Democrats weigh in on California wildfires

Ben Geman, author of Generate

Windsor, California, being enveloped in smoke from the nearby burning Kincade Fire on Oct. 27. Photo: Philip Pacheco/AFP via Getty ImagesCa

Big fires and power outages are wreaking havoc in California and spreading into the 2020 elections, too.

The intrigue: The fires, PG&E's controversial shut-offs, and criticism of the power giant have spilled into the presidential race.

  • "It is time to begin thinking about public ownership of major utilities," Bernie Sanders tweeted yesterday.
  • He also noted, "Climate change is real, and when I am president, we are going to treat this like the existential crisis it is."
  • Sanders' climate plan calls for expanding the system of federal Power Marketing Administrations and focusing them on renewables and storage.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Warren tweeted that California's wildfires "will only grow more dangerous and destructive until we act to stop the climate crisis."

Go deeper: In photos: California wildfires spread by hurricane force winds

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 19,655,445 — Total deaths: 727,353 — Total recoveries — 11,950,845 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 4,998,802 — Total deaths: 162,425 — Total recoveries: 1,643,118 — Total tests: 61,080,587 — Map.
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  5. Science: Indoor air is the next coronavirus frontline.
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