Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) initiated Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) across portions of 29 California counties starting Wednesday evening, affecting 31,010 customers initially with a potential to impact up to 88,000 customers through Saturday. The utility stated the preemptive outages are a last resort to prevent wildfires during a period of elevated fire danger characterized by dry, gusty winds and low humidity.
Counties Facing Utility Shutoffs
The outages began Wednesday night, impacting customers in Placer, El Dorado, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Amador, Nevada, Yuba, Sierra, Plumas, and Butte counties. Additional shutoffs were confirmed in Contra Costa, Alameda, Shasta, Lassen, Napa, Mariposa, and Sonoma counties. An estimated 778 customers in Mendocino County were also included in the potential impact area. Fresno County might see nearly 4,000 customers impacted in Central California, alongside over 1,700 in Madera County, upwards of 900 in Mariposa County, and under 300 residents in Tulare County.
Weather Conditions and Fire Risk
PG&E cited elevated fire weather conditions as the primary driver for the decision. A red flag warning is currently active for the western Sierra from midnight Thursday morning until 10 a.m. Friday, though Bay Area counties lacked such alerts from the National Weather Service as of Wednesday. These winds dry out the air and vegetation, creating conditions favorable for fire growth, increasing the likelihood that damaged power lines could spark fires.
WATCHING THE WINDThe north breeze will weaken tonight in the Valley. But gusty EAST winds will pick up in the Sierra & Foothills early Thursday morning – late Friday. @PGE4Me cites the wind forecast & dry air/fuels as the reason for widespread PSPS outages. @kcranews
Resident and Official Responses
The impact on residents has been varied, with some expressing frustration over the timing and duration of the outages. John Ginocchio, a cattle rancher in Mount Diablo State Park, told ABC7 Bay Area that the power loss prevented him from using an electric squeeze chute necessary to assist a calf in distress, stating, "I can’t pull it because my generator doesn’t work on that squeeze chute."
Conversely, some residents indicated a level of resignation. "We’re a little more prepared up here than maybe other people would," Pollock Pines resident Tim Roffe told KCRA, noting that mountain residents are accustomed to outages from trees down and that kind of thing. Local agencies have mobilized to support those affected. The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has fully staffed its Emergency Operations Center and increased patrols in foothill communities to deter potential opportunistic crime during the blackouts.
Resource Centers for Impacted Customers
PG&E has established resource centers in the region to provide Wi-Fi, charging stations, ice and other necessities for customers without power. Centers are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at locations including UC Berkeley, Merritt College in Oakland, and Pacific Union College in Napa County. The Madera County Sheriff’s Office also designated its Oakhurst substation as a site for people who need a place to charge their devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long are these power outages expected to last?
PG&E has indicated that outages could continue through Saturday. While the utility warned that up to 88,000 customers could be impacted, individual outages are not expected to last the entire duration of the forecast period.
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