PG&E has notified one hundred thousand of its Northern California customers that they may lose electricity anytime between tonight and Wednesday morning, because of high winds forecast for several fire risk areas.
Residents in Oakmont, a community that lies in the middle of Sonoma County Wine Country, are preparing for possible power shutoffs, as the town is one of many that falls on PG&E's list of potentially vulnerable areas.
"We're stuck here, I'm not moving," said one resident named Jim. "And you know what's funny? Ten years ago, I'd come up here and I was certain - you know, (it's) wonderful, beautiful wine country - and nobody ever told me about wildfire season."
Amid Extreme Heat, Forecasted Offshore Dry Wind Event Means PG&E Might Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 21 Counties - PG&E is Notifying Customers Who Might Be Affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff https://t.co/4ueGKuOkwQ pic.twitter.com/1WnaWEIQPi
— PG&E (@PGE4Me) September 7, 2020Jim also said that, since six wildfires have spread throughout the town in past years, preparedness and response has gotten better.
"This time, people have gotten a lot of generators now around homes," he said. "People are more prepared."
PG&E could turn off power to customers throughout 21 counties due to increasing winds, intense heat and dry land. Winds are expected to reach as high as 65 miles per hour in elevated areas.
The utility said all the affected customers have been given 24-hour notices.
