PG&E may cut power in Northern California due to fire risk, citing high temps and dry winds

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. may implement planned power outages on Monday and Tuesday to thousands of homes and businesses in the Sacramento Valley area due to elevated fire risk as a result of “unseasonably hot” temperatures and dry winds.

PG&E is monitoring weather conditions and may cut power in parts of 13 counties across Northern California, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Napa, Shasta, Sonoma, Tehama and Trinity counties, as its public safety power shutoff program.

PG&E estimates that around 13,455 customers may be affected, including nearly 8,000 in Shasta County. Potentially affected customers began receiving notifications via text message Saturday morning and should receive updates tomorrow morning, the utility said in a statement.

The counties and numbers of customers who may be affected are:

▪ Alameda: 346

▪ Butte: 1,585

▪ Colusa: 545

▪ Contra Costa: 286

▪ Glenn: 464

▪ Humboldt: 11

▪ Napa: 140

▪ San Luis Obispo: 33

▪ Santa Barbara: 75

▪ Shasta: 7,709

▪ Sonoma: 268

▪ Tehama: 1,927

▪ Trinity: 62

An additional 44 could lose power in Glenstone Rancheria and six in the Pit River Tribes area.

The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office has also reminded residents to “remain fire weather prepared” going into a hot week, where temperatures are predicted to hit triple digits on Tuesday and Wednesday. Gusty winds are also expected, forecasters said.

PG&E has not yet confirmed the number of customers who could be affected by the outages.

This story was originally published September 28, 2024 at 1:49 PM.