Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has issued an alert warning customers across the Bay Area to prepare for potential power shutoffs this week as a midweek spike in temperatures and dry, windy conditions raise wildfire concerns.
The advisory, released Monday, covers Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, and Yolo counties, including communities such as Cloverdale and the broader Yolo County area. The warning is in effect through Friday, with specific addresses for possible shutoffs typically available two days in advance.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to climb gradually, reaching the lower 90s on Wednesday and peaking near 100 degrees on Thursday. Parts of Santa Rosa may see 98 degrees, while Napa is forecast to hit 97 degrees.
Healdsburg and Cloverdale already reached 100 degrees on Monday. The combination of dry conditions and offshore winds gusting up to 20 mph has heightened fire danger, particularly in the North Bay interior mountains, where the hottest and driest conditions will persist.
The alert follows two recent wildfires: a 10.5-acre wind-driven fire near Vacaville on Sunday evening and the 300-acre Putah Fire along Highway 128 in Yolo County on Monday. PG&E officials emphasized that the advisory is intended to give customers a general estimate of potential impacts and that conditions can change rapidly.
Residents are urged to take precautions, including properly disposing of cigarettes, avoiding spark-producing equipment, ensuring campfires are fully extinguished, and following burn bans or obtaining permits for any burning.