Hundreds in O.C. still without power

High winds and fires have left about 9,250 homes in Southern California without power tonight as fires continued to batter the region, said Gil Alexander of Southern California Edison.

Some people could still be without service for the next 24 hours.

In Orange County, hundreds of customers were without power tonight in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Irvine, Fullerton and Fountain Valley. Among the areas hardest hit in Los Angeles County were Canyon Country and Malibu.

Crews working to repair transmission lines have been unable to enter some areas because of the flames.

“It’s still too early to forecast when all Edison customers will have power restored because of the severe weather conditions,” Alexander said. “You can imagine that as the crews are making progress, new fires and damage occur.”

The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid, declared a transmission emergency for Southern California due to the number of power lines that have been knocked out of service.

The situation was particularly dire in San Diego, where multiple 500-, 230- and 138-volt lines were disabled.

“The situation remains highly dynamic with conditions on the electrical grid changing rapidly,” Cal-ISO officials said in a statement. “Where possible, without compromising individual health or welfare, voluntary energy conservation in San Diego can help reduce the strain on the transmission lines that remains in service.”

Times wire services contributed to this report.