Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has issued a warning that weather conditions forecast for later this week could lead to targeted Power Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in parts of Northern and Central California, as wildfire dangers escalate.
In a statement released on June 8, the utility company said it is closely monitoring an offshore wind event expected to develop from Wednesday into Thursday, which could create elevated wildfire risk in certain areas of its service territory. The potential shutoffs could affect approximately 5,000 customers across eight counties and two tribal areas in the North Bay, North Coast, and Western Sacramento Valley regions.
The counties that may be impacted include Colusa and Yolo, along with the Cortina Rancheria and Grindstone Rancheria tribal areas. Although no shutoffs have been officially announced, PG&E stated it may proactively turn off power in some locations if conditions warrant.
This would be the second PSPS event of the year, according to the company. Due to forecasts of high temperatures, strong winds, and dry vegetation, PG&E plans to send advance notifications on Monday evening to customers in the targeted regions where power might be disconnected.
The utility also said it will collaborate with local officials to open community resource centers in the most heavily affected counties. Adding to the concern, the National Weather Service’s Sacramento office has issued a Red Flag Warning for portions of the Sacramento Valley from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon.
The warning cites gusty northerly winds and low humidity, which will create critical fire weather conditions. Daytime relative humidity is expected to range from 9% to 15%, while overnight levels will be between 25% and 50%.
The strong winds are likely to cause fires to ignite easily and spread rapidly. The Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 5 p.m.
Thursday. In mid-May 2026, a previous PSPS event affected approximately 4,700 customers across 15 counties.
PG&E initiates PSPS when fire-weather forecasts are severe and pose a threat to public safety, homes, and businesses. The utility aims to prevent devastating wildfires by shutting off power in targeted areas during extreme weather conditions that could endanger the electric grid.