Here is the information I received from PG&E in response to my request this morning.
Importantly, no single factor will drive a Public Safety Power Shutoff. PG&E takes a combination of many criteria into consideration when making such a decision. The criteria include:
- A Red Flag Warning declared by the National Weather Service
- Low humidity levels, generally 20 percent and below
- Sustained winds above approximately 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately 45 mph
- Site-specific conditions such as temperature, terrain and local climate
- Condition of dry fuel on the ground and live vegetation (moisture content)
- On-the-ground, real-time observations from PG&E field crews
Also, nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and the communities we serve.
Public Safety Power Shutoff is part of PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program to reduce wildfire risks and strengthen our communities for the future.
We contact customers directly and provide early warning notification, when and where possible, via automated calls, texts, and emails. To ensure our contact efforts are successful, we urge customers to update their contact information at pge.com/mywildfirealerts so we can keep them informed.
