In an effort to prevent wildfires, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced on Thursday that it might implement power shutoffs affecting users in five counties across the Bay Area. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, PG&E is currently monitoring weather conditions and considering proactive power outages for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Napa County, Solano County, and Sonoma County.
PG&E indicated that heightened concerns about wildfires are due to strong, dry winds off the coast. Starting on Thursday, October 17, a total of 30 counties statewide could face shutoffs. Specific addresses, maps, and details regarding the planned outages are typically released two days prior to the shutdowns.
These potential outages coincide with a red flag warning that is set to take effect in certain areas of the Bay Area, starting Thursday night at 11 PM and lasting until Saturday, October 19, at 5 PM.
The red flag warning will cover the entire Bay Area, with the exception of coastal Marin County and regions like the Sacramento Valley, Nevada foothills, Lake County, Delta, northern San Joaquin Valley, and the Central Coast—while excluding the Monterey Bay coastline.
PG&E has shut off power in certain areas due to the dry and hot conditions that could lead to damage to equipment and potentially spark wildfires.
Forecasts predict winds in the Santa Clara Mountains, North Bay, and East Bay valleys from the north to northeast may reach up to 45 miles per hour, with gusts in the North Bay and East Bay hills potentially exceeding 60 miles per hour. The strongest gusts are expected on Friday morning and Saturday morning.
According to the Northern California Geographic Area Coordination Center, vegetation across Northern California is significantly drier than normal following an unusually hot summer and early October heat wave.
Relative humidity during the day on Friday and Saturday may drop to 10%, further increasing the dryness of vegetation. With dry weather and high winds, any ignitions that occur could spread rapidly and become uncontrollable.
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