tonight kqed newsroom as the risk of wildfires mounts, pg&e shuts off powers to hundreds of thousands of cuomers across the state. also, we will hear from two of the candidates in the race to elect and discuss top prosecutor. plus, a new book by journalist sod author aaron ca explores the inspiring and iconic career of actress meryl streep. welcome to kqed newsroom i michael krasner. we begin tonight with the unprecedend mass power outages across the state. on wednesday, pg&e began 800,000 customers in northern and central california. úaffected areas includepa and

sonoma counties where the tufts fire in 2017 decimated neighbors like coffee park in santa rosa. the utility giant shut off power to parts of 35 counties -- 34 counties to reduce the risk of wildfires in windy conditions. according to cal fire, the majority of the states destructive while wildfires haveappened in october. joining me now are anthony sehgal and jonathan cox welcome to both of you, jonathan i want to begin with you give us a sense of how this wildfire season is a shaping up compared to last year with the camp w fi and we are approaching november, which was when the camp fire broke out, in early november. >> that's right. in comparison to the last few years we experienced u 200,000 acres of land burned in california. this time last year, we were re over 1 million of land burned, a relatively mild season in comparison to the last few. maybe the biggest reason for

that because we have some more steers that we haven't had in the last two years that's due to the rain and much we haven't had earlier into the year. however we are now into the timeframe that we tend to get e large instructres in california. as we have seen over the last few days both in the bay area and now in southern lifornia, some of the largest fires we fear when these wind events happen are starting to break ou >> havepower outages actually affected cal fire's ability to monitor and fight fires? >> yes. we actually have put a lot effort into preparing for blackouts ourselves as an agency. we have to run our operations, our fire stations and fire ennes and everybody else throughout the year, even when there is no power. >> let me press you a bit, what about monitoring, are you better off -- for example, if web cameras that stream high fire risk areas are down does that nohinder your power, ability to quickly respond to a fire? >> we always have a backup is maybthe best way to put it. whether that be a radio system some kind ofmmunication

that is not based on power and internet, we have that ability. so, we are a redundancyagency when things are not working at levels that they typically ar and we obviously prepare for them. the cameras that are out in the western u.s., the alert wildfire cameras for wi fire verificati tool that are very helpful, if they are not available then we revert to putting aircraft in the air to see if there is something going on to see if there is something going on. it is all about redundancy, this is the largest scale at we have seen for a power outage across the state. and it just means that we have had to e vert to plans that we have been putting in place since the beginning of the year. >> let me go tojeremy, jeremy has been talking to people in oakland, there's a lot of angefr antration about these outages, what have you been hearin >> a lot of anger and frustration. what jonathan was saying that cal fire has backups in place, a lot of these residents do not have backups ace. some of that frustration was coming from the fact that the communication from pg&e regarding these blackouts was

confusing for residents who felt like they got short notice about the blackouts, and then once they were for sure goinha to be ening in parts of the bay area, pg&e directed people to their website, when people are going onlinethe website was down, and that made it extremely difficult to find out if your deme was going to be losing power, so that was a source of frustration for residents and then once --e frustratiopower was actually off pg and e was warning that it could take days to restore even after extreme úpeople to be out of power for days, can be difficult because food you have in your fridge that will go bad during that period otime. >> particularly the people you said it needed medical devices, whatrnas been the cali office of emergency services role in all this during the power outages. did they get any advance warning? >> the california office of emergency services does get wa advancing meaning they were finding out about this

event likely earlier than residents affected so that they can llepare for what happen when the target is also an event of this they were helping locawejurisdiction prepare for e event a blackout. ficers get intersections, local where the lights are going to be down, to put up temporary stop signs and let people know that they should treaties intersections as four-way stops. then they werealso doin things like getting information about where people can go in their communities to charge their phones and have access to air conditioning. i was a speak with someone from callaway asked, he was saying for them this was the second highest level, which is close t hands on deck situation. it was not the level of what we saw last november with a camp fire which was a mass casualty incident, but you know, cal ceo was ainly putting a lot of resources into this.

>> back to you jonathan, governor reason newson recently signs. 22 new bi your thoughts on what is actually in the offing for those bills, in terms of helping yo >> exactly. i think maybe the most exciting part about this, is that we are tacking this problem frl angles right now which includes everything from the major projects going on statewide for vegetation managemen as well as new helicopters, additional fire engines, and other things o that may get as much attention, like things such as land-use anning. we haa whole bureau now in cal fire that works with local jurisdictions on land-use desions and very high fire hazard severities earn service goes way beyond just 911, into some much larger social issues, that really uch on wildfire 30 >> speaking of, how much tougher has your job been from climate change? >> is undoubtedly more ta difficult, the of the science reaffirms that the wildfire probatm based on the changes we are seeing, and thi of that is the temperatures. with the temperatures, the ta change in veon, as well

as the nighttime temperatures, when you change nighttime temperatures higher than what mo they are, feel ture recovery does not come through in our fire behavior increases. >> does cal fire have the resources to keep up with these challenges vis-c-vis climi e change? >>think we are continually continually confrontin new normal at every stage that we see. and i think, this increase in legislation and all the different actions being taken e a very big ep in the right direction to confront this problem. >> jeremy what have we learned we need to do about the infrastructure, the old saying of this is the filth fifth wealthiest economy in the world, we have kind of a third u world and for ure. >> just like how living climate change over all ofthis, so two people would say is potential mismanagement by pg&e and u are seeing in the aftermath during this criticism from residence, criticism from local anstate lawmakers of the utilities saying that they need to do something to upgrade

their infrastructure,to make it so that this is a last resort, so that it is not that we are acseeing massive uts that could last days all the time, you know, extreme fire seasons might be becoming the new normal here, you have lawmakers saying these blackouts can absolutely not become the new normal. attithe same me, i think people have frustration over the fact wethat they potentially in areas especially in the bay area where you might say i don't have much fire risk where my home is, why am i losing power when i'm not in the cells with the extreme wins, the way that pg&e's of the structure works is you ght have your lecturcity lines connected to somewhere in the hills where there is more risk of extreme wind helping spark a wildfireth their agreement. so because of the way that their infra structure is set up you have potentially more widespread blackouts than people would like to see in these situations. >> i like to ar what yohave to say about residents worried about businesses for this n do. , three things that th

>> yeah, i think one, is we have probably seen the most heightened awareness around wildfires that we have seen ev probably in california right now. the three biggest things i would say is, first of all, have a plan to get out of your house, with your family, with your neighbors, and ensure that this includes those who may be elderly or have a disability in your area. two, clear the vegetation arou your home, there is no bstitute for aggressive-- space. thirdly it just being hyperaware out of doors in 95 percent of all fires in this state are human caused to some degree. so we are our own worst enemy when it comes to fire ignition. >> what about fensible space, there's a lot of concernthat there may not be enough fire inspectors particularly in rral areas. the moment at a much higher t level to what is the best way and how we can actually inspect more property statewide it is without ona doubt of

the best things that can be done is that one-on-one contacto with owners, to give them that personalized information about how they can defend eir home. >> notwithstanding using people will be looking at some kind of serious and profound change private hip of utility, are anything like that? >> you expect when lawmakers return to the next sessio that there will be conversation about this and the possibility of different municipal is asian. tathere have been s of san francisco taking over pg&e's. hearings ever discovered of the same tnee governor gavin om in a press conference last night, was saying, even if you say it did switch over control of pacific trgas & el to the state you are still at is potentially outdated, re and for structure that needs significant work. even if the executives at pg&e n are not g the utility, there still might be a problem that persists and takes a long time to fix. ll >> we wi have to see where it

all goes, ank you somuch for joining it on newsroom, i appreciate the work you are doing. >> thank u. in less than four weeks, san francisco voters will head to the polls in addition to deciding the fate of local measures, loey will also elect the city next district attorney, it is an open contest with four candidates vying to be the cities next top prosecutor but it is now mired in controversy. last friday, san loancisco mayor on breed appointed one of those candidates, susie lofton as interim da after incumbent george gaskin o resignedplore a run for the da race in los angeles. with us now as the interim district attneys easy susie loftus, and one of her rivals in the san francisco d da race. think welcome to both of you. nice to have you both. i will begin with you, we will h get toissues here, but, how do you react to e us interim da post, unfair in terms of the electoral process? >> michael, i think they said it really well and called him a to withdraw the appointment, and to cease and desist he

interference with what would have been the first open district attorneys race and hundred years. voters in san francisco were excited about having the chance to elect their district attorney in a clean slate, and a was trying to take that away. >> if he appointed you you would have said no. >> correct. >> san franciscans are concerned about what is happening the streetthey are concerned about the fact that we have 70 car break-ins happening every day. so, when a vacancy opened up in what is an incredfily important for our city, the mayor followed her obligation and pick the person she thought was for the job, that is me, change is not g and i am we are doing comforted, that on november 5, the people of our city will decide who keeps a job and when i am called to serve that is what i will do point >> no feeling that you get it and under sanford's advantage? >> i think what g i'm gettis campaigning, mother three am used to having a lot of jobs and i'm committed to doing it all well. k >> let me you and i will ask, what is the one top

priority you would change that perhs did not do as well ould have or ght have. it >> i've been running for this office for not only the mayor but eight members of the board of supervisors, because people living and working in sentences go are seup. they are fed up with seeing glass on every street from a car break-in. they are fed up with stepping over needles and having a city infrastructure that says there is nothing can do about it. what we have to do is get back to bringing neighb hood prosecutors rtner with communities, to build safety in sentences go. people are looking for a change, and the change starw. >> asked him about his neighborhood prosecutors. from your perspective what has guest on not done that should and needs to be done. >> we know that george gaskin has done a woefully inadequate job in the face of riving rising property crime. the surgeon properar crime d back when susie was on the police commission and it has continued to this day under orge gaskin on estes intorney. the other he has failed

to do is to prosecute and hold police accountable, for use of force, shootingskillings of unarmed civilians. ll i say, one thing that george gaskin deserves credit for that he often does not get credit for is his willingness to file criminal charges against the deputy sheriffs involved in the fight called case. it was a real disappointment, at to see the sheriff department legal team including susie mishandled the evidence in that case, requiring the district attorney to dismiss criminal charges. despite overwhelming evidence that crime habeen committed. >> susie get your response to that? >> this is actually what sentences can's are ejecting ro the board, continuing to think that what people are looking for is the blame game and if wehave someone to blame and find fault that is enough. san franciscans are looking s.f soluti they are looking for a leader who has a ack record. when i was on the police commission for the first time in 20 years, i reformed the use of force policy that has resulted in 30 percent decrease in injuries, police

use of force and a decrease in injury to offirs. what they're oking for someone who is going to invest in neighborhood prosecut deal with some of the civil rights issues people are feeling and tenants feeling . pushed o it is time for leadership and an approach, that is completely different, the status quo is about finding someone to blame i am about delivering results. >> what about the concern many seem to have about you not having donany prosecutions. >> i've done more years in the sentences go hall of justice, over the last seven or eight years and all the ot r candidates combined, i have tried more than two dozen jury trials, i am the only candidate who comes at the job with a cewide variety of experi personal and professional that none of the other candidates have. i visited my own parents in prison for my entire lifei have defended people wrongly accused of crimes. i have advised ople who are guilty that they should plead guilty and worked with two federal judges here in n francisco, we presided over nine jury trials. i have seen the criminal

justice system for multiple different perspectives, i know it is broken, i have a concrete set of proposals for how to fix it and i've got a track record of fighting for those changes. this is not about blamaegame, mi this is about a track record of standing up for what is just and what makes us safer. many of the policy proposals i o have made ca this aign, things like bill reform, and standing up to the trumpet policy,are things that all the other candidates now say they support. i have got a track record of fighting for those changes and they have a track record of g be the wrong side of them for years and >> what you want to do, susie, r in terms of ge what are you going to be looking at the change? >> we have got to stem the tide of car break-ins as i said the latest numbers as of september r of this is that there are 70 per day in san francisco. the local journalist just put on twitter. >> we are atthe top of the crime is per capita, while we

often talk about property crime as something that seems to be smaller or minimal, it is affecting people's ability to francisco. ive whether it is retail theft happening from small businesses in chinatown, ether it package theft happening on the west side. you know, whether it is the retail theft that is happening n strategy and a plan to work with law enforcement and work with our community members, to actually deal with that which has not en done in the last plans or consumer ships in terms of homelessness? what are you proposing? >> i support the pansion of i'm from san francisco, and i am raising my family here, i've never seen the level of suffering happening on our streets and it is clear that a number of people e what the legal definition is, gravely disabled. we need to make sure that we can get people to help they need, conservatorship doesn't

need to be forever but to get someone from where they are to being mutter. it's a board meeting up at his office and taking it out of the criminal setting of puing it in the state attorney's office and i think we have to make better that we are getting people to help they need because that is an important public safety strategy. despite both of you, communities of color, how can you work better with them and yohow can evoke more trust, especially given the fact that we have half of those in prison who are of african-american percent and only six percent of the population is african-american. >> that what my support has been really about, black firefighters to officers for justice i've had a 15 year úi have worked, in and with re communities of color tobuild justice and i am tremendously grateful to have their support in this race. what i have announced is that i want to have the first-riever civits unit within the will not build a city that is safe for all of us until we rks for all of us and racial disparities are a clear threat to that, five percent of our

population is african-american 53 percent of who is in our jail we have work to do and district attorney i will work every day to eradicate ar diies. >> racial disparities article defining feature of the criminal justice system in the united states. in sentences go, incarcerate african-americans rate than any other city in the country. it id a disgrace, it needs i have announced the confidence of series of specific policy ideas that are on my website, and they attack racial disparities at every single step f the criminjustice system. those policies have won me the support of leaders like felicia jonemo the latina atic club and across the country, criminal justice reform leaders like john legend, gela davis as well as five members of our board of supervisors. people who know that i've got the idea isto track -- the track record the vision and to make our criminal justice system work for everybody. >> thank you both for being s with uthis evening. good luck to you and campaign hard point >> thanks michael wi

>> meryl streep is onof the most celebrated performers of our time, since her stage debut in 1975, strehas won three oscars and 21 nominations, making her the most nominated actor in the history of thad y awards. over the years, she has been ignoring for known for fighting ageism and sexism in hollywood and for taking on pivotal roles in films like the bridges of madison county and the devil wears prada. writer erin carlson spent nine months rearching the traits that have made meryl streep such a commanding presence on stagenand on sc joining me now is erin carlson. welcome. >> thank you for having m >> meryl streep indeed is a leading icon, legendary as i said but why queen? queen of stage and screen are queen of more. >> i mean, the 21 oscar nominaons says it all, three wins, there is something regal about her, isn't there? you see her on the red carpet, r

accepting , lifetime achievement award, in 2017, she has this regal cleanly tearing, but i thought was perfect for the tie of the book, and who looked to her, you know, i was like a queen tyelizabeth character, larger than life. >> she certainly is one of the greatest living actors, although president trump calls are overrated. any thoughts about that? >> oh, that was, you know, trump and twitter is a toxic mix. and, anyone fair game. merrill, in r 2017 speech of the golden globes went afte him, she was championing diversity, and, you know, going after him on his bullying of the washingt post was his disabled washington post rederter and he respond by calling her the most overrated

actors in hollywood. after that, her fans closed ranks about day because they knew that was patently untrue and it sort of made her gend grow, or stronger. this is a bothat i would end, e is a icon you and you adore her comes across in your prose, was there a danger of writing a ece that was to puffy? >> the problem e that is perfect. for ars, e has sort of mastered that tightrope of how to be famous. other people make big mistakes, public gas, but she manages to survive all of it, especially 80arting in the and 90s, she ojected the image of the virtuous mother, you know, she can do it all, she in a wo

mother, has four children, is incredible marriage, and, she úof our lifetimes. st actors so, she really knew how to navigate that media persona. >> the marriage came after she lost a great love of her life and john edtisdale who pl freda in the godfather. ti the adap of not only being a mother and having four children, four pretty good kid by my standards is pretty hollywood, you don't about these happily ever after storie don't know if i call her perfect. but, you're talking about her life being perfect, too. >> her life, if by having it all, a great marriage, children, a great career, then her life is pretty perfect. however, what i found was that she is more -- yes, she is

perfect if you look at her media image, but she is re isflawed than you might think. >> she has also said i am arrogant and my mother rowas nt right? >> her mother was a very larger- than-life commercial artist and stay-at-home mom, shwas second central flip figure in merrill's life. she told merrill from a yovery g age that she could do anything, and merrill said that as a result, she became arrogant andshe really thought that she could do anything, and play any role. >> what's amazing is the versatility of what she has career which you capture in the book and also the fact that like many people know in mamma mia s singing and writing in a letter script and so forth i'm interested in hearing since you talk about all these movies, what movies that she did, what role that she did you most passionate or is re most memorable to you to you chair is most? oh, the first merrill movie i ever saw was the reveler ve wild when i was 13, and i

went with my mother, and i was sort of confused, because there was a woman in leading role that a man would have played, the river wild was her first and last action movie. she got really ripped for it. and, shehad a stunt uble, but she mostly did her own stunts. so, you know, i saw this movie, and i was just loud. here is a woman in a man's role, it is not arnold's words and ucger, not willis. that stuck with me. and, then, the next merrill movie that ireally channeled her talents, to me will thati loved was the devils where-- the devil wears prada becadee i was working in new york is a 26- year-old anne hathaway's age in the movie and i just felt th movie. you know, it got something so right about working for a demanding boss in the media which i understood and she leplayed that role effoly. despite it's amazing how

effortless she is and how many accents she can s in langua she can do. you tell the story about tina dealer and that opens your book? >>yeah. merrill, she is 26, she utis of yale school of drama, or yale school of trauma, however cides she maybe wants to be m ies, she is still doing is theater, but let me try movies. she goes into inauguration for king kong. dena delorenzo's remake. he is an italian producer, little does know that she learned italian at vassar. wnso she sits and he is sitting there with his son, and he says to his son italian. why did you bring me this, this is so ugly. she undersnds every word is saying, so she says to him, look, this is what you see, this is what you get. and then, she gets up and walks and jessica lange takee role. so, bullet dodged for merrill i

guess to >> orso a y that reveals a lot about her character she did a lot about r minist principles and ideals and sexism, itstank -- thank you for this book i realenjoyed it. >> thank you so much. >> you can meet aaron at hear more about her book clean merrill at music hall in hill valley for more information visit event bright.com that will do it for us, as always, you can find more of our coverage on kqed.org /newsroom. thank you for joining us robert: the impeachment debate

heats up and the psident tests his own party. president trump: from day one, the wretcd washington swamp has been trying to nullify the results of a truly great and democratic election, the election of 2016. they're trying. they're not getting very far. robert: president trump remains defiant. but the impeachment debate takes sharp turns. close associates of his personal lawyer, rudy giuliani, are indicted raising new questions about mr. trump's foreign policy. >> harness, on behalf of then

ukrainovernment official, lobby congressman one to