Some residents in 34 counties in California will lose electricity overnight Tuesday into Wednesday in hopes to reduce the risk of the spread of wildfires, PG&E announced on Tuesday.
The power outages could last several days, PG&E said. This is due to high winds that are expected in parts of California on Wednesday and Thursday. Isolated areas could have winds of 60 to 70 MPH. Gusty winds coupled with dry conditions mean conditions will be favorable for wildfires.
Power company officials say that the outages will begin in the northern sections of the state, and trickle down into central and coastal sections of California.
“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our most important responsibility, which is why PG&E has decided to turn power off to customers during this widespread, severe wind event. We understand the effects this event will have on our customers and appreciate the public’s patience as we do what is necessary to keep our communities safe and reduce the risk of wildfire,” said Michael Lewis, PG&E’s senior vice president of Electric Operations.
Dozens of community centers will open during daylight hours while power is out. Those without power will have access to air conditioning, cellphone recharging stations and bottled water at these sites. For a list of locations, click here .
