PG&E has warned a few hundred Bay Area customers that their power could be shut off this weekend as hot, dry and gusty weather raises wildfire risk.
In Alameda County, 386 customers could be affected, mostly in a rural area south of the Altamont Pass that includes part of Livermore and unincorporated county land, NBC Bay Area reported. Those customers were told they could lose electricity starting Friday afternoon and might not get it back until about noon Sunday. In Napa County, 15 rural customers are on the list.
A wider wind event
The Bay Area is a small slice of a larger event. In its Oct. 8 announcement, PG&E said about 12,200 customers in parts of 17 Northern and Central California counties could be affected if it carries out a Public Safety Power Shutoff, with elevated risk lasting from Friday afternoon into Monday. Shasta County has by far the largest number, 6,797 customers, followed by Tehama with 2,351. Solano County, at 284, is the other Bay Area-adjacent county on the list.
Patch reported that the forecast calls for low humidity and wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph on Saturday, reaching 55 mph in parts of the northern Sierra. NBC Bay Area said temperatures in Livermore were expected to climb above 80 degrees.
Not a sure thing
A warning is not a shutoff. PG&E cuts power only if conditions in a specific area meet its thresholds, to keep energized lines from swinging in the wind and sparking a fire. The utility said it finished notifying customers by text, email and automated phone call on Thursday.
What to do
Customers can enter their address at pge.com/pspsupdates to see whether their location is being monitored. If shutoffs happen, PG&E says it will open Community Resource Centers offering device charging, Wi-Fi, water, snacks, blankets, accessible restrooms and medical device support, according to Patch.
It is also a good time to charge phones and backup batteries, keep a flashlight handy and plan for anyone in the household who relies on powered medical equipment.