California gas prices have risen “an average of $0.38 per gallon since the event and may increase further” since a Feb. 1 fire shut down the Martinez refinery that produces 10% of the state’s gasoline capacity, according to a new letter from the state’s Division of Petroleum Market Oversight.
The letter also noted the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health did not lift an order to “preserve the incident site” until Feb. 13, before which damage assessment, let alone repairs, could not begin.
The Martinez refinery operator says it has no estimate for how long the refinery will be shut down for repairs, which could impact gas prices across California — which AAA says average $4.85 per gallon — and in the parts of Arizona and Nevada that rely on California for fuel.
In Nevada’s Washoe County, which borders California, gas prices are $4.26 per gallon, while the statewide average is $3.88. In Arizona’s Maricopa County, which is required to use California’s anti-smog gas, gas prices are $3.65 per gallon, while the statewide average is $3.42.
