California’s three largest utility companies are all considering shutting off power in regions where dangerously strong winds are expected to heighten wildfire risk this week.
More than 350,000 customers from Kern to San Diego counties could lose power amid the planned safety shutoffs. Portions of the region are under a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning, the most elevated fire weather warning.
Just last month, officials had warned of similarly dangerous Santa Ana winds and low humidity when the Mountain fire ignited in Ventura County, and exploded into one of Southern California’s most destructive wildfires in recent history. The strong winds drove the fire into nearby neighborhoods, eventually destroying more than 240 structures, many of them homes.
Southern California Edison is considering planned outages for more than 250,000 customers across a wide swath of its coverage area Monday “due to heightened wildfire risk.”
The majority of the customers were in Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, where more than 40,000 in each county could lose power. About 4,000 SCE customers in Kern County may also lose power.
David Eisenhauer, a spokesperson for SCE, said the utility could cut off power anytime between Monday through at least Wednesday, as winds are forecast to remain a concern.
San Diego Gas & Electric is considering shutoffs for more than 117,000 customers across San Diego and Orange counties. The outages are possible beginning noon Monday through Friday, the utility reported.
Pacific Gas & Electric was also considering outages for about 600 of its customers in rural Kern County, according to PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith. The utility company said that shutoffs were likely through at least Wednesday “due to high winds and dry conditions.”
The practice of planned, public safety power shutoffs began after downed power lines were found to have started some of California’s deadliest and most destructive fires. The preventive strategy is employed to try to keep electric infrastructure from sparking fires during powerful wind events.
