UPDATE, Monday, 7 a.m.: Power has been restored to all but a handful of folks in Mendocino County, according to the PG&E outage map. However, the Mendocino Complex Fire doubled in size yesterday, forcing 10,000 people to evacuate, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

That fire has grown to nearly 56,000 acres and is only 10 percent contained, according to a Bay Area ABC affiliate.

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Original post:

A smoke cloud from the Mendocino Complex Fire along State Route 20 is visible from U.S. 101. | Photo courtesy Tanner Levitt.

As the Lake County town of Lakeport evacuates, fleeing the Mendocino Complex Fire, the Outpost is getting reports from folks down in Mendocino County that mass power outages there have shut down gas stations, stranding people in Willits and backing up traffic on Highway 101 for miles.

As of 6 p.m. Sunday PG&E’s outage map was showing major outages along the coast from Fort Bragg south to Manchester and more outages up and down Highway 101 and east along State Route 20, knocking out the electricity for more than 50,000 people in the region. 

PG&E’s outage map. For the regularly updated map, click here.

Senator Mike McGuire has been providing updates on Twitter.

As McGuire notes above, PG&E is saying they hope to have power restored by late evening. In the meantime, if you absolutely must travel south through Mendocino County we recommend you fill up the tank in Garberville.