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- PG&E warned 12,200 customers in 17 California counties of posssible power shutoffs.
- PG&E sent alerts Thursday by text, email and automated phone calls.
- Gusty winds and low humidity raised wildfire risk from Friday afternoon into Monday.
PG&E officials on Thursday announced that about 12,200 customers in portions of 17 counties in Northern and Central California could be affected by possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs this weekend with a forecast of windy weather elevating risks of a wildfire.
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Advanced customer notifications were sent out in targeted areas where power shutoffs may be necessary to reduce wildfire risk from Friday afternoon into Monday, according to a news release from the Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
PG&E customers that could be affected by potential power shutoffs are in portions of Yolo, San Joaquin, Solano, Napa, Butte, Merced, Fresno, Alameda, Colusa, Glenn, Kern, Kings, Lake, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Shasta and Tehama counties.
Customer notifications were sent via text messages, email and automated phone calls on Thursday. Customers can look up their address online to find out whether their area is being monitored for the potential power shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates.
Gusty winds are set to begin Friday as California’s forecast shows a rapid pressure change that will drop daily high temperatures from the 90s earlier this week down into the 70s or cooler through early next week.
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Winds across Northern California will gust up to 30 mph Saturday and higher at high elevations. A fire weather watch is in place for Saturday for Reno and portions of the Sierra Nevada mountains due to strong north winds and dry conditions.
PG&E officials said the weekend forecast for gusty winds and low humidity could create elevated fire danger.
“PG&E’s top priority is the safety of our customers and communities,” officials said in the PG&E news release. “The decision to proactively turn off power for safety is not taken lightly. PSPS is one of many layers of wildfire protection which PG&E deploys as a measure of last resort.”
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The Bee’s Sean Macaday contributed to this story.