Hundreds of Northern California households could lose power this weekend as utility giant PG&E warns of another potential round of shutoffs amid fears that powerful winds could spark wildfires.
The company is considering cutting electricity to portions of seven counties beginning Friday night, as gusts of up to 60 mph threaten to turn already-dry vegetation into a tinderbox.
The potential outages could impact approximately 644 customers across Butte, Lake, Napa, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties, according to PG&E’s latest estimates.
The company warned that shutoffs could begin as early as 7 p.m. Friday, with some residents potentially left without power until Saturday night.
Despite recent rainfall across Northern California, PG&E meteorologists warned that the brief burst of wet weather hasn’t done enough to eliminate the wildfire threat.
The utility company said precipitation was particularly limited in portions of the North Bay hills and northern Sierra foothills, where bone-dry brush remains highly flammable.
Now, a new round of gusty offshore winds is expected to create dangerous conditions as a storm system moves out of the region.
The strongest winds are forecast to hammer the northern Sierra foothills, portions of Shasta County and the North Bay hills late Friday through Saturday morning.
Gusts could reach a 40 to 60 mph, accompanied by low humidity that could help flames spread rapidly if a fire ignites.
The National Weather Service also warned that north-to-east winds would strengthen across Northern California as the recent weather system exits.
PG&E said its Emergency Operations Center remains activated as meteorologists monitor the evolving conditions.
The potential shutoffs would primarily affect unincorporated communities, with Butte County facing the largest estimated impact at 284 customers, followed by Shasta County with 272.
Solano County could see 43 customers lose power, while Yolo County faces 17 potential outages and Napa County 16.
Just six customers each could be affected in Lake and Sonoma counties.
The utility’s preliminary timeline shows electricity could be cut between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday, depending on the location.
Power is tentatively expected to be restored between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, although those estimates could change.
PG&E stressed that the shutoffs are not guaranteed and that decisions will depend on localized weather conditions, vegetation dryness and the potential for wind-related damage to electrical equipment.
The company also cautioned that interconnected power lines could result in outages beyond the areas initially identified.
Fortunately, some relief could be on the horizon.
Winds are expected to weaken Saturday afternoon, with calmer, dry conditions forecast for the remainder of the weekend.
PG&E said it will continue monitoring the fire threat and adjusting its potential shutoff plans as conditions change.
