PG&E may shut off power in SLO County during heat wave. See where and why
In preparation for potentially severe weather, PG&E may shut off power in parts of San Luis Obispo County this week to prevent damaging fire.
SLO County is one of 10 counties placed on a Public Safety Power Shutoff watch Wednesday and Thursday, according to PG&E’s seven-day shutoff forecast.
The watch means power shutoffs are likely in parts of the affected counties “due to high winds and dry conditions” that create risk for fast-spreading fires, the forecast said.
The planned shutoff comes amid a heat advisory from a “heat dome” predicted to bring up-to-triple-digit temperatures to SLO County.
The dry and warm weather has caused below-normal moisture content in dead fuel this year and steadily declining moisture content in live brush, with the “lowest values currently found along the Central Coast,” the forecast said.
In addition to the heat and dry fuel, northerly winds of 20 to 30 mph near Santa Barbara with gusts up to 55 mph are expected on Wednesday night, according to the forecast.
“Combined with low relative humidity values, these breezy winds will bring increased fire danger to pockets of the territory,” the forecast said. “Onshore winds will still be breezy Thursday afternoon, but they are expected to be lighter overall, and wind will continue to trend weaker on Friday.”
Specific areas and shutoff details were not available on the website yet, but the SLO County Office of Emergency Services posted on X that the watch was issued for northern portions of SLO County around Lake Nacimiento.
The post said any potential shutoffs would happen between noon on Wednesday and 9 p.m. Thursday.
