San Francisco, CA…Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today said it continues to monitor a potentially powerful and widespread dry, hot and windy weather event expected to begin impacting the service area Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. and lasting until midday Monday.
PG&E will need to turn off power for safety several hours before the potentially damaging winds arrive. It’s important to note that as this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central California will feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary, as well.
The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is expected to affect approximately 850,000 customers and may impact portions of 36 counties across portions of Humboldt, the Sierra foothills, Western Sacramento Valley, North Bay, and across the greater Bay area, Monterey Bay and northern Central Coast on Saturday, Oct. 26. Customers in the southern-most portion of PG&E’s service area in Kern County could have power shut off for safety on Sunday, Oct. 27.
Predictive data models indicate the weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades, with widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour (mph) and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.
Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread. The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events.
Given the forecast and conditions, PG&E is advising its customers of the potential for a widespread PSPS lasting several days, intended to prevent a catastrophic wildfire. As this intense weather event approaches the service area in the next 24 hours, PG&E’s forecasts will offer sharper detail, noting that the scope may continue to change on the number of customers who will be affected. 2
| Counties Potentially Impacted County | Customers | Cities or unincorporated areas with some customers potentially impacted |
| Alameda | Total: 57,360
Medical Baseline: 1,302 |
Albany, Berkeley, Canyon, Castro Valley
Dublin, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol |
| Alpine | Total: 66
Medical Baseline: 0 |
Bear Valley |
| Amador | Total: 19,909
Medical Baseline: 974 |
Amador City, Drytown, Fiddletown, Ione, Jackson, Martell, Pine Grove, Pioneer, Plymouth, River Pines, Sutter Creek, Volcano |
| Butte | Total: 19,152
Medical Baseline: 1,398 |
Bangor, Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Butte Meadows, Chico, Clipper Mills, Cohasset, Feather Falls, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia, Oroville, Palermo, Paradise, Rackerby, Stirling City, Yankee Hill |
| Calaveras | Total: 30,396
Medical Baseline: 1,370 |
Angels Camp, Arnold, Avery, Burson, Camp Connell, Campo Seco, Copperopolis, Dorrington, Douglas Flat, Glencoe, Hathaway Pines, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Murphys, Rail Road Flat, San Andreas, Sheep Ranch, Tamarack, Vallecito, Valley Springs, Wallace, West Point, White Pines, Wilseyville |
| Colusa | Total: 64
Medical Baseline: 2 |
Arbuckle, Maxwell, Sites, Williams |
| Contra Costa | Total: 48,824
Medical Baseline: 1,610 |
Alamo, Antioch, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek |
| El Dorado | Total: 56,643
Medical Baseline: 2,774 |
Cameron Park, Camino, Cold Springs, Coloma, Cool, Diamond Springs, El Dorado Hills, Fair Play, Garden Valley, Georgetown
Greenwood, Grizzly Flats, Kelsey, Kyburz, Lotus, Mount Aukum, Pacific House, Pilot Hill, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Rescue, Shingle Springs, Somerset, Twin Bridges |
| Glenn | Total: 43
Medical Baseline: 2 |
Orland, Willows |
| Humboldt | Total: 64,710
Medical Baseline: 2,057 |
Alderpoint, Alton, Arcata, Bayside, Blocksburg
Blue Lake, Bridgeville, Carlotta, Eureka, Fernbridge, Ferndale, Fieldbrook, Fields, Landing, Fortuna, Garberville, Honeydew, Hoopa, Hydesville, Kneeland, Korbel, Loleta Manila, Mckinleyville, Miranda, Myers Flat, Orick, Orleans, Phillipsville, Redcrest, Rio |
Approximately 850,000 Customers Notified that They May Be Impacted in PSPS PG&E Event Beginning Saturday Evening added by admin on
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