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UPDATE: 9:30am, Friday, September 11
PG&E’s Operations and Meteorology teams are monitoring an onshore wind event forecast to bring elevated wildfire risk conditions to portions of Northern California beginning Saturday afternoon into Monday.
With a forecast for gusty onshore winds, low humidity, and elevated fire danger, PG&E has initiated advanced customer notifications in targeted areas where Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) may be necessary to reduce wildfire risk.
PG&E’s top priority is the safety of our customers and communities. The decision to proactively turn off power for safety is not taken lightly. PSPS is one of many layers of wildfire protection which PG&E deploys as a measure of last resort.
Current forecasts indicate that approximately 14,000 customers in portions of 12 northern counties (Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Shasta, Tehama, Yolo, Butte) could be affected if a PSPS is implemented.
Weather forecasts call for strong westerly winds with gusts between 35 and 50 mph Saturday across portions of the Northern Sierra, followed by north winds Sunday in the Sacramento Valley area. PG&E will continue to monitor weather conditions and communicate updates as forecasts evolve.
Counties
- Butte – 284 customers
- Colusa – 529 customers
- El Dorado – 729 customers
- Glenn – 611 customers
- Lassen – 753 customers
- Nevada – 726 customers
- Placer – 1,246 customers
- Plumas – 4,770 customers
- Shasta – 2,566 customers
- Sierra – 583 customers
- Tehama – 1,080 customers
- Yolo – 9 customers
Tribal Areas
- Grindstone Rancheria – 46 customers
- Greenville Rancheria – 31 customers
- Cortina Rancheria – 8 customers
- Pit River Tribes – 4 customers
Customer notifications via text, email, and automated phone calls began the evening of Wednesday, September 9, approximately three days before the potential shutoff. Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is monitoring a potential high wind event in portions of 11 counties in Northern Sierra and Sacramento Valley areas. This weather is currently forecast to reach our service area on Saturday, September 12 and continue through Sunday, September 13. As of 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 10, approximately 14,000 customers in portions of 11 counties and 4 tribal areas are in scope for this PSPS event. This would be the fourth Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event of 2026.
Counties and customer counts
- Yolo (9)
- El Dorado (729)
- Nevada (762)
- Placer (1,318)
- Glenn (611)
- Sierra (583)
- Colusa (529)
- Lassen (744)
- Tehama (1,080)
- Shasta (2,658)
- Plumas (4,768)
This potential onshore wind event, combined with dry ground conditions and relatively low humidity, forecast will bring could create a period of elevated fire danger. Given these conditions, PG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and began sending customer notifications Wednesday night, September 9, to customers in targeted areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized powerlines.
The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, as well as any damage and repairs that may be needed. The decision to begin shutoffs is based on real-time weather conditions, and de-energizations may be delayed or cancelled. Changes in scope may also occur based on real-time conditions.
PG&E follows a plan to notify affected counties and impacted customers before releasing PSPS scoping details. PG&E initiates a PSPS when severe weather conditions pose a significant wildfire threat, even if local weather seems mild. This is because powerlines often travel through different regions, and the line serving an area might pass through a hazardous location. High winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation in these areas can necessitate a PSPS to ensure community safety.
Each PSPS is unique and events are initiated based on real-time weather conditions including measurements of wind, relative humidity, and modeling to assess the state of possible fuels. PSPS events significantly avoid greater damages and impacts to PG&E customers and hometowns. For example, a Technosylva fire spread simulation showed that if the May 17-18, 2026 PSPS had not been initiated, up to 270,000 acres could have been impacted by wildfires. Additionally, during patrols of the de-energized circuits prior to restoring power in that event, PG&E found three incidents of wind-related damages and one hazard.
To learn more about PSPS and resources for customers with access and functional needs, please visit: www.pge.com/afn