The wildfire commission was created last year by lawmakers in response to destructive 2017 fires

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE, Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday nominated a new commissioner to California’s utility regulator and three nominees for a panel tasked with studying how the state can fairly distribute costs related to destructive wildfires.

Newsom named Genevieve Shiroma to the Public Utilities Commission, a five-member body that regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, water, telecommunications and other services and utilities. That includes Pacific Gas and Electric, which is planning to file for bankruptcy and facing intense scrutiny for its role in recent deadly wildfires and a 2010 gas pipeline explosion.