One power shutoff down; larger one looming

The latest PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff, that impacted residents in the Bucks Lake and Canyon areas is wrapping up, but another larger one is on the way. This one is expected to impact 1,942 customers in Plumas County and is slated to begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25, and conclude at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28. PG&E provided the latest information this morning, but it is subject to change as weather conditions change.

PG&E Meteorology is monitoring a dry and potent weather system which is expected to move through the territory Sunday into Monday and generate strong and gusty northeast winds increasing through the day Sunday, peaking Sunday night into Monday, and possibly lingering in some regions through early Tuesday. Although details are still evolving, sustained winds of 15-30 mph and widespread gusts to 40-50+ mph are possible across large portions of the territory. Relative humidity values will also plummet to the single digits and teens with the onset of winds allowing for critically dry conditions and fuels being very receptive to ignition.

The areas with the highest probability of being affected by power shutoffs for this event are the adjacent terrain of the northern and western Sacramento Valley, Northern and Central Sierra, as well as higher terrain of the Bay Area, including the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast Region and portions of southern Kern. Based on the information released this morning, approximately 440,000 customers could be impacted.