Strap in, SoCal — strong Santa Ana winds continue to hit hard this week. Thankfully, high winds and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are not synonymous.
In fact — owing to the rainy end to 2025 — we may not see PSPS for some time.
The wet weather has provided a much-needed buffer from dangerous wildfire weather conditions.
“The substantial amount of rain we’ve seen throughout Southern California Edison’s service area means the vegetation and fuels are no longer dry enough to pose a significant fire threat,” said Ted Gribble, SCE principal manager of Wildfire Operational Strategies. “Even if the winds were to blow something into the power lines and cause a spark, the moisture in the plant material makes it much less likely for a fire to start and spread, which means power can remain on.”
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for portions of SCE’s service area, forecasting sustained winds between 20-30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph possible through Wednesday. But even with the high winds, customers can expect the lights to remain on.
PSPS — proactive power shutoffs used to keep communities safe during dangerous fire weather conditions — are usually triggered by dry vegetation, low humidity and strong winds. Fortunately, the moisture is keeping shutoffs at bay.
“While recent rainfall has reduced fire risk, it has also saturated the soil which can increase the number of tree failures during high winds and may cause outages if they impact our lines,” said Tom Brady, SCE principal manager of Business Resiliency. “SCE actively monitors weather conditions and takes steps to ensure our crews are ready to respond and restore power if wind-related outages happen.”
High wind safety tips:
- If you see a downed power line, stay at least 100 feet away and call 911. 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, a flashlight and fresh batteries.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards in your home or business.
- If you’re 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 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 without appropriate isolation equipment can create “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews. Please consult the manufacturer’s manual before operating a generator.
To report any outages, visit sce.com/outages.
