If you haven’t secured the patio furniture yet, now is the time. Strong winds are heading across much of Southern California Edison’s service area and could stick around through Saturday.
The National Weather Service has issued high wind warnings and wind advisories sweeping through parts of SoCal, with strong winds expected across portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, Tulare, Fresno and Madera counties. Sustained winds are forecast to reach speeds of 25-50 mph with gusts ranging from 50-70 mph. Isolated areas in the highest elevation ridgetops may see gusts as high as 100 mph.
Red flag warnings have also been issued for many of these same areas. Strong winds, dry vegetation and low humidity can create dangerous fire weather conditions. When the risk is high, SCE may temporarily turn off power in affected areas to reduce the chance of electrical equipment starting a wildfire. These Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used to help keep customers and communities safe.
High winds can also knock trees and debris into power lines, causing unplanned outages. SCE crews are ready to respond and restore power as safely and quickly as possible.
Customers can check the latest information about PSPS and wind-related outages at sce.com/outages.
High wind safety tips:
- Remember to check emergency supplies to be sure you have a battery-operated radio, a flashlight and fresh batteries.
- If you see a downed power line, stay at least 100 feet away and call 911.
- 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.
- Power outages in the area may impact traffic signals, so motorists should use extreme caution and treat all intersections as four-way stops.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to avoid fire hazards in your home or business.
- 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.
Communications around safety are funded by ratepayers.
