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PG&E plans wildfire-risk outages for 11,400 Bay Area customers
PG&E says planned shutoffs could leave more than 11,000 Bay Area customers without electricity from Wednesday evening through Saturday afternoon. The utility is preparing more than 40 community resource centers as dry, windy conditions raise fire danger.
More than 11,000 PG&E customers in the Bay Area could lose power for several days beginning Wednesday evening, as the utility prepares shutoffs intended to reduce wildfire risk during forecast dry and windy weather.
The outages could affect about 88,000 customers across 29 California counties, with restoration potentially continuing through Saturday afternoon. PG&E says it uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs when weather conditions increase the chance its equipment could spark a fire.
In the Bay Area, the planned outages include 4,705 customers in Alameda County, 1,605 in Contra Costa County, 3,027 in Napa County, 30 in Solano County and 2,041 in Sonoma County. Areas that may be affected include the Berkeley and Oakland hills, parts of the Tri-Valley, communities near Mount Diablo, and higher elevations north of Santa Rosa and Napa.
PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian said customers began receiving notices Monday. Residents can check whether their address is in a potential shutoff area at pge.com/pspsupdates.
The utility plans to open more than 40 community resource centers in affected areas. The centers are expected to provide restrooms, phone and device charging, Wi-Fi, bottled water, snacks and other supplies. PG&E is also urging people who need extra help—including customers who depend on electricity for medical equipment or have a disability—to contact 211.
National Weather Service forecasters expect particularly dry and windy conditions at higher elevations in the North Bay beginning Thursday, increasing wildfire danger. Bay Area temperatures are forecast to peak Friday, with highs in the 80s and 90s, before cooling over the weekend and early next week.