California's largest utility, PG&E Corp., has started cutting power to homes and businesses in efforts to prevent live wires from falling and sparking blazes as the state continues to battle wildfires that have lasted weeks.

According to Bloomberg, the move will see up to 361,000 homes cut from the grid, affecting an estimated 1.1 million people.

The report indicates that California has already seen a record 4.1 million acres (1.66 million hectares) scorched this year.

PG&E has previously cut power four times in 2020 to prevent falling wires from igniting blazes in a region that’s tinder dry from heat and drought.

This round is the biggest yet as an estimated 4.2 million people are at risk from extreme fire conditions, according to the National Weather Service.

(With input from agencies)