California is being lashed by powerful winds that are causing humidity levels to drop and raising the risk of wildfires in much of the state.

Power shutoffs amid dangerous winds could affect almost 240,000 across California this week, but officials say there should be no voting disruptions, even if some polling locations lose electricity.Outages in both Northern and Southern California are possible through Thursday.

California was bracing Tuesday for another round of powerful winds that will cause humidity levels to drop and raise the risk of wildfires in much of the state. For the second time in three weeks, a “diablo wind” — notorious in autumn for its hot,

PG&E Corp. shut off power to nearly 25,000 homes and businesses in Northern California as gusty Diablo winds and plummeting humidity levels raise the risk of wildfires.

Pacific Gas and Electric said it may cut power to 20,000 customers beginning Tuesday evening. Given that it is Election Day, it said it’s working with state and local officials to ensure reliable service.

The state is still recovering from one of the worst wildfire seasons on record with more than 1 million acres burned so far. High winds can cause power companies to shut off power to some areas to mitigate the risks of power lines sparking fires.

California residents face power shutoffs this week as warm, dry winds sweep the state, threatening to tear down utility lines and spark wildfires.