Strong winds kicking up across Sacramento, Northern California. Here’s what you need to know

You might want to take your Halloween decorations inside today—strong winds reaching up to 50 mph in some parts of the region will blow through Sacramento Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

The Sacramento region is under a wind advisory through 11 p.m. tonight and a red flag warning for critical fire weather conditions through Tuesday evening, according to the weather service.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. began shutting off power this morning in a planned blackout to limit fire risk due to the winds, which are coming from the north. Those blackouts could affect up to 25,000 customers.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as these unusually strong winds pick up:

▪ Practice fire safety. Ensure that equipment like lawnmowers that could spark against rocks are put away and don’t conduct any outdoor burning today.

▪ Secure Halloween decorations or outdoor furniture like umbrellas and trash cans to prevent damage.

▪ Be careful driving: the winds may be tough to navigate in high-profile vehicles. People with smaller cars need to be careful when driving next to those high-profile vehicles, too, because trucks have a harder time maintaining control in strong winds. Plus, branches and other debris may blow into the roadway.

This story was originally published October 11, 2021 at 8:08 AM.