High Fire Risk for January Despite Winter Rainstorm
High Fire Risk for January Despite Winter Rainstorm
The threat of wildfires continues in January despite a welcome late-December storm in the Southland, rainfall that was not enough to reduce the risk.
As dry conditions continue, forecasted high winds up to 50 mph in some areas and high temperatures through early next week will once again elevate the risk for wildfires. To help reduce the risk of fires sparked by electrical equipment, Southern California Edison has notified some customers about possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs, or PSPS.
Five of the six-largest wildfires in California’s history took place last year and fires continue to burn throughout the state. Average rainfall totals across Central and Southern California remain 50%-75% below normal for this time of the year. Some of the driest areas — including portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties — are once again on alert for possible preventive power shutoffs as part of SCE’s wildfire risk mitigation efforts.
“We know that PSPS events significantly impact our customers’ daily lives and create hardships on our customers and communities, a burden that is even more consequential with so many customers working and learning from home,” said Incident Commander Terry Ohanian, who is overseeing SCE’s emergency response team.
“Our No. 1 priority is safety. If we are forced to shut off power to protect the public, we make every attempt to reduce the number of customers impacted and the length of the outage.”
SCE crews are deployed to inspect power lines to ensure that vegetation and debris have not flown into or damaged equipment during the high-wind event. Once crews on the ground determine it is safe, power will be restored to customers.
While extended outages are possible, SCE will make every effort to temporarily restore power to affected customers, even for a short period of time, as breaks in the weather conditions permit and it is safe to reenergize.
For updates and the latest information on PSPS, customers can visit: sce.com/PSPS. Customers can be notified of a PSPS event by email, phone or text alert. They can also update their SCE contact information and sign up for potential PSPS alerts at sce.com/psps or by calling 800-655-4555.
Customers may report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911. For information on outages, customers can check sce.com/outages or visit twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.
SCE reminds customers that if they see a downed power line, stay away and call SCE at 800-611-1911 or call 911.
Background on PSPS:
- SCE does not shut off power based only on weather forecasts. Decisions are based on conditions observed in the affected areas.
- SCE crews conduct pre-patrols of circuits in affected areas before a forecasted wind event. Plans are in place to minimize the number of customers affected, should conditions warrant a shutoff.
- In addition to real-time weather monitoring, SCE crews are actively patrolling circuits during PSPS conditions to provide additional information about actual conditions on the ground.
- SCE notifies local and state emergency management officials and first responder agencies in advance of PSPS events as well as providing 48-hour advance notices to customers whenever possible.
- Should a shutoff occur, SCE will attempt to restore power within 24 hours after the weather event and once crews have determined it is safe to re-energize.
- For customers who are deenergized due to PSPS or wind-related outages, final restoration efforts will begin once the winds abate and SCE line crews can inspect the lines to ensure they are safe to reenergize. Helicopter or foot patrols may be needed in some hard-to-access areas, which could delay restoration.
Power Outage Safety Tips
- If you see a downed power line, do not touch it or anything in contact with it. Call 911 immediately.
- Power outages in the area may impact traffic signals, so motorists should use extreme caution and treat all intersections as four-way stops.
- Remember to check emergency supplies to be sure you have a battery-operated radio, flashlight and fresh batteries.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards in your home or business.
- If you are in a vehicle with a fallen power line on it, stay in the vehicle and remain calm until help arrives. It is OK to use your cellphone to call 911. If you must leave the vehicle, remember to exit away from downed power lines and exit by jumping from the vehicle and landing with both feet together. You must not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Then proceed away from the vehicle by shuffling and not picking up your feet until you are several yards away.
- If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using a heavy-duty extension cord. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews. Please consult the manufacturer’s manual for operating the generator.