Windy weather triggers Public Safety Power Shutoff in parts of Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Thousands of PG&E customers lost power in the San Francisco Bay Area on Friday as part of PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff. The shutoff aims to reduce risks of wildfires igniting from done-dry brush, live electrical wires, whipping winds, and low humidity.

A Red Flag Warning will continue through Saturday afternoon. The PSPS may last until Sunday, according to PG&E officials.

As of late Friday morning, PG&E shut off power for more than 4,000 customers in Napa and Sonoma counties. Nearly 1,000 customers lost power in Contra Costa County, along with 663 in Santa Clara County and 422 in Alameda County.

“This PSPS has been called due to a high wind event, combined with low humidity and the presence of dry materials on the ground. Winds are forecasted to reach up to 70 mph in some areas. The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area,” a PG&E spokesperson told KRON4.

Multiple homes caught fire in an Oakland Hills neighborhood on Friday afternoon. The 5-alarm blaze, named the Keller Fire, grew to 13 acres. No injuries were reported. Red Cross officials wrote, “While forward progress has stopped, the fire is not contained and conditions are extremely favorable for wildfires to start and spread.”

Gusts also fanned flames of an 800-acre wildfire that ignited in Solano County east of Vacaville Friday afternoon. The blaze, dubbed the Hay Fire, generated a large plume of smoke and was 20 percent contained by 4:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire.

National Weather Service forecasters wrote, “Red Flag conditions arrived Thursday evening, and the next 24 hours will be critical. Overnight relative humidity dropped into the mid 20% range through the North Bay and East Bay Mountains, with several weather stations reporting wind gusts as high as 50 mph.”

Strong winds will continue and humidity will keep dropping Friday. Sustained northeasterly winds between 25-35 mph are in the forecast, along with 50 mph gusts, according to the NWS.

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