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The weather could cause PG&E to cut power to some customers in Shasta County

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The weather could cause PG&E to cut power to some customers in Shasta County

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Weather conditions could prompt Pacific Gas and Electric Company to preemptively cut power to some customers in the northern state for several days starting Thursday, according to the company's website.

The possibility of temporary Public Safety Power Shutdown (PSPS) outages was determined “from an analysis of forecast weather, potential for wind-related damage, and fuel moisture content in dead and living vegetation,” PG&E said.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11:00 p.m. Thursday through 5:00 p.m. Saturday due to dry, gusty winds forecast for portions of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. Northeast winds in the valley and northeastern foothills are expected to gust up to 45 mph, with the strongest winds expected Friday, the National Weather Service in Sacramento said in issuing the weather advisory Tuesday.

More: UPDATE: Shasta County is under a fire critical weather watch this week as the Shoe Fire burns

On Thursday, some PG&E customers, Shasta, Tehama and 10 other counties, may experience power shutoffs, PG&E said. Details such as addresses, maps and shutdown information typically become available two days before the shutdown, the company said.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the number of counties that could be affected by preemptive power shutoffs by PG&E increases to 20 to 30 counties, including Shasta, Tehama and Butte on all three days, the agency said.

No preemptive power shutoffs are forecast for Monday, PG&E said.

An operational meteorologist from PG&E's meteorology and analysis team will determine when to announce an elevated PSPS risk, which is not the same as a fire danger forecast, the agency said Tuesday afternoon.

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PG&E made its forecast as warm weather helped fuel the Shoe Fire, which broke out Oct. 9 and is burning north of Lake Shasta. As of Tuesday afternoon, the wildfire had burned 3,761 acres and was 7% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

More: The Redding nonprofit works to calm polarized politics in Shasta County

Efforts to contain the fire come as crews prepare for warmer weather and a fire weather warning was issued later this week for parts of Northern California, including Shasta County.

The Shoe Fire was caused by humans, but investigators still don't know whether it was arson or an accident, according to the US Forest Service.

Evacuation orders remained in effect Monday morning, as did road closures announced over the weekend.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire warning for the area from Thursday through 11 a.m. Saturday night, with possible wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

Michele Chandler is a senior reporter at the Redding Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She welcomes story tips at 530-338-7753 and [email protected]. Please support our entire newsroom's commitment to public service journalism by subscribing today.

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