Massive Power Shutoff Could Hit Sunday: PG&E

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — PG&E warned Friday night that 466,000 customers across Northern and Central California may have their power shutoff from Sunday through Tuesday after the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning.

In comparison, the power shutoff earlier this week only affected 31,000 customers.

The 38 counties where the shutoff could occur include:

• Alameda
• Alpine
• Amador
• Butte
• Calaveras
• Colusa
• Contra Costa
• El Dorado
• Fresno
• Glenn
• Humboldt
• Kern
• Lake
• Lassen
• Madera
• Marin
• Mariposa
• Mendocino
• Monterey
• Napa
• Nevada
• Placer
• Plumas
• San Joaquin
• San Mateo
• Santa Clara
• Santa Cruz
• Shasta
• Sierra
• Siskiyou
• Solano
• Sonoma
• Stanislaus
• Tehama
• Trinity
• Tuolumne
• Yolo
• Yuba

PG&E’s Emergency Operations Center, Meteorology team and Wildfire Safety Operations Center are all “tracking a significant, offshore wind event starting Sunday that is forecast to have the driest humidity levels and the strongest winds of the wildfire season thus far.”

The Public Safety Power Shutoff could start as early as Sunday morning. The company says that extremely dry, windy conditions with high gusts could damage the electric system and start fires in areas with critically dry vegetation.

The areas with the highest probability for a power shutoff include the higher terrain of the Bay Area including the Santa Cruz Mountains, the northern and western Sacramento Valley, Northern and Central Sierra as well as the Central Coast Region and portions of southern Kern County.

“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our most important responsibility. PG&E’s 24/7 Wildfire Safety Operations Center and our team of in-house meteorologists continue to monitor weather conditions for this potential Diablo offshore wind event arriving Sunday morning and lasting through Tuesday morning,” said Michael Lewis, PG&E’s Interim President. “Initial forecasts indicate this could be our largest PSPS event this year so far. Our highest priority is to keep customers and communities safe and execute this event according to our plan and to then quickly restore power to all affected customers when it’s safe to do so.”

PG&E also warned that you may lose power even if conditions are not horrible at your house because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties, and regions.

Red Flag Warning

The National Weather Service red flag warning — meaning critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly— takes effect at 11 a.m. Sunday and continues through 11 a.m. Tuesday.

"Winds will intensify and become out of the north-northeast," the weather service said. "Strongest wind gusts are expected over the highest peaks and ridges, but these winds are expected to mix down into the valleys and reach the coastline. Winds at lower levels are likely expected from 20-30 mph, with occasional gusts up to 50 mph. Winds at higher elevations will be 25-40 mph, with gusts from 60 to 70 mph."

The forecast of strong winds led to the issuance of a high wind watch from 4 p.m. Sunday to Monday at 9 a.m. for the North Bay, East Bay, San Francisco Peninsula, Bay Shorelines, Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Santa Clara Valley.

"While winds diminish Monday morning, but dry conditions and the offshore wind direction will remain prompting the Red Flag Warning to remain through Tuesday morning."

Some cities and towns — including Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Berkeley, and Fremont — have warned their residents that some are likely to pose power.

In the East Bay, the regional park district called this a '20-Year Wind Event' and will close several parks because of the fire threat.

>> See: Red Flag Warning: '20-Year Wind Event' May Hit East Bay

These parks will be closed Sunday and Monday:

• Anthony Chabot Regional Park (including Anthony Chabot campground) in Oakland
• Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve in Oakland
• Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in Oakland
• Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area in Orinda
• Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley
• Leona Canyon Open Space Regional Preserve in Oakland
• Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland
• Roberts Regional Recreation Area in Oakland
• Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Oakland
• Tilden Regional Park in Oakland
• Wildcat Canyon Regional Park (including Alvarado Park) in Richmond

Fire departments around the region are taking precautions, with extra personnel and equipment strategically placed to react quickly if a fire breaks out.

— Patch editors Bea Karnes and Maggie Fusek contributed to this story