Thousands of Northern California residents face the possibility of power outages this weekend as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) evaluates Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in wildfire-prone areas. The utility company has issued warnings for Saturday and Sunday in eight counties near the Sierra Nevada and Sacramento Valley, citing a forecast of strong winds, dry air, and parched vegetation.
El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, and Tehama counties are among those that could experience preemptive outages, according to PG&E. The company estimates that approximately 14,000 customers across 11 counties might be affected, though shutoffs would be targeted to areas with the highest wildfire risk rather than entire counties.
Fire Weather Concerns
The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for parts of the Sacramento Valley and northern Sierra foothills, effective from Saturday morning through Monday morning. The agency anticipates gusty winds, low daytime humidity, and poor overnight recovery of moisture throughout the weekend. These conditions, combined with critically flammable vegetation, mean that any fires that ignite could spread rapidly.
PG&E's Friday forecast indicated that the Emergency Operations Center remains activated as meteorologists monitor the potential for elevated fire weather conditions from Saturday through Monday morning. The utility noted that moisture levels in brush have been steadily decreasing, reaching what they described as "critically flammable levels."
Wind and Humidity Forecast
Saturday is expected to bring the strongest winds, with sustained speeds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 45 mph in the Sierra, potentially reaching 55 mph on ridgetops. While winds are forecast to ease on Sunday, a shift to northwesterly winds is predicted to drive humidity even lower, exacerbating dry conditions. Relative humidity could drop as low as 10% to 25% during the Fire Weather Watch period.
PG&E plans to expand its watch on Sunday to include Butte, Colusa, Glenn, and Yolo counties, where shutoffs may become necessary if conditions worsen. By Monday, Tehama County is expected to remain under watch, with Butte, Colusa, and Glenn counties continuing to be monitored.
This looming fire threat arrives as cooler air moves into Northern California from the Pacific Northwest, following a recent period of intense heat. However, the cooler temperatures are accompanied by strong winds, increasing the risk that a small spark could quickly escalate into a fast-moving wildfire. Winds across the North and Central Sierra could range from 40 to 50 mph on Saturday, with the Sacramento Valley anticipating another surge of offshore winds around 35 mph on Sunday. Forecasters predict calmer, fair, and seasonable weather for much of the following week.