Updated Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 11:25 a.m.
Crews Begin Equipment Inspections as Part of Efforts to Restore Power to Those Affected by the Valley Fire
Due to elevated fire weather conditions and forecasted Santa Ana winds, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) had to turn off power to 49 customers overnight to reduce wildfire risk in the communities of Descanso and Valley Center. SDG&E had already inspected equipment for safety and restored power to affected customers in Valley Center as of approximately 7:30 a.m. today. Patrols in the Descanso community were completed, and power restored around 10:30 a.m. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are approved by state regulators as an important safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions.
A Community Resource Center was open from 8 a.m. until power was restored today at the Descanso Public Library, 9545 River Drive, to provide water, snacks, and a place for people to charge their phones.
SDG&E had notified approximately 16,700 customers yesterday that they could lose power as part of PSPS. The company’s Emergency Operations Center monitored wind conditions closely, using its network of more than 230 weather stations, and determined no additional PSPS were needed. The Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until 8 p.m. tonight and the Emergency Operation Center will continue to monitor weather conditions.
Separate from the PSPS, SDG&E crews are working to address outages caused by the Valley Fire’s impact on electrical equipment. Crews began inspections of equipment and making repairs in areas where emergency responders have said it is safe to do so. Approximately 1,700 customers in the vicinity of the Valley Fire are still without power, which may be out for several more days. Providing an exact estimate on when power might be restored is extremely difficult until crews gain full access to the area to assess damage and determine what repairs are necessary to ensure safe operation of the system. The company will continue to provide updates via social media, sdge.com and direct communications with affected customers via phone calls, emails and text messages. For real-time updates regarding outages and restoration, please visit sdge.com/outagemap.
Updated Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 10:35 a.m.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., crews successfully patrolled equipment for safety and restored power to affected customers in Descanso.
Updated Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 8:00 a.m.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., crews successfully patrolled equipment for safety and restored power to affected customers in Valley Center.
Update Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 4:15 a.m.
Due to elevated fire weather conditions, we have turned off power to the following customers to help maintain public safety:
- 19 customers in the community of Descanso
- 30 customers in the community of Valley Center
We recognize Public Safety Power Shutoffs are disruptive, and we sincerely thank our customers for their patience and understanding.
Updated Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 11:30 p.m.
No new activity to report. The next update will be provided when a significant change in weather conditions occur.
Updated Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 10:30 p.m.
No new activity to report.
Updated Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 9:30 p.m.
The safety of the public, our customers and employees are our highest priority.
Due to elevated fire weather conditions, we have turned off power to the following customers to help maintain public safety:
- 19 customers in the community of Descanso
We recognize Public Safety Power Shutoffs are disruptive, and we sincerely thank our customers for their patience and understanding.
Santa Ana Winds and Fire Danger Forecasted
Due to elevated fire weather conditions and forecasted Santa Ana winds, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has notified backcountry residents that it may have to turn off power to reduce wildfire risk in the coming days. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are approved by state regulators as an important safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from 12 p.m. today through 8 p.m. Wednesday for inland Orange County and San Diego County valleys and mountains. Moderate strength Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive today, peak Wednesday in strength, and become weak to moderate through Thursday. In preparation, SDG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center to monitor conditions 24/7 and has organized personnel and pre-staged materials and equipment for response.
Yesterday, SDG&E sent PSPS notifications to approximately 16,700 customers at risk of Public Safety Power Shutoffs via phone, text messages and email. Customers who were notified should be prepared to be without power through Thursday, depending on SDG&E’s need and ability to physically inspect equipment during daylight hours prior to re-energizing. The company also advised those who have received PSPS notification to be prepared to activate their personal emergency plans to keep their family, pets and livestock safe. SDG&E will continue to provide customers with updates when there is more information about forecasted weather conditions.
SDG&E has been a leader in wildfire safety innovations for more than a decade. Since 2007, it has invested more than $2 billion in system hardening, situational awareness, and customer outreach and communications programs to help prevent catastrophic wildfires. Using sophisticated weather, fire and vegetation monitoring tools, as well as supercomputers to run fire simulations and predictive analytics, SDG&E can pinpoint which circuits or segments of power lines are most at risk. A list of areas at risk of PSPS is available at sdge.com/ready. A network of more than 230 weather stations located throughout SDG&E’s service territory provides grid operators with real-time data on wind, temperature and humidity conditions and help them decide when and whether to de-energize power lines to maintain safety.
To ensure customers are not surprised when the weather changes and becomes dangerous quickly, SDG&E recently released a new PSPS app, which is available on The App Store and Google Play or sdge.com/alerts-sdge.
To learn more about SDG&E’s extensive wildfire safety efforts, visit sdge.com/wildfiresafety.
For ongoing updates about PSPS, please visit sdgenews.com or follow SDG&E’s Twitter channel @SDGE.
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