Fierce Diablo winds are expected to kick up in Northern California this week, bringing an increased fire risk to the burn-scarred region and prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to prepare for potential power shutoffs in parts of 43 counties, utility officials warned.

A swath of the Sierra Nevada mountains, reaching as far south as the Santa Cruz mountains, could see power outages beginning Wednesday, according to PG&E.

Two dangerous wind events are expected this week — the first starting Wednesday afternoon or evening and stretching into Thursday morning and the second developing Thursday evening and running through Friday morning, forecasters said.

On Monday morning, the National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch starting late Tuesday and continuing through Friday morning, with the strongest winds hitting overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The highest threat is in the mountains of northeastern Napa and Sonoma counties, where the destructive Glass fire is still raging, according to the weather service.

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