October 18th 2024.
In the city of Oakland, the power company known as Pacific Gas & Electric Co. made a decision on Thursday evening to turn off the power in certain areas of the Bay Area. This was in response to the arrival of high winds and low humidity, which can create dangerous conditions for potential fires.
The decision to shut off power was not made lightly, as it was done as a precaution to protect the safety of the public. The utility company announced that they would be de-energizing power lines in Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties at 7 p.m. Other counties such as Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, and more were also expected to experience power outages as a result of the safety measures.
As the weather system continues to bring strong winds and low humidity levels, more planned power outages will be necessary on Friday and Saturday. This will affect several counties including Butte, Fresno, Mendocino, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and more. The main purpose of these outages is to prevent wildfires from occurring during this critical weather period.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for much of the Bay Area and Central Coast from Thursday night until Saturday afternoon. This warning is due to the expected offshore winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, as well as low humidity levels of only 10%. Despite the temperatures not being too high, the combination of these weather conditions can still pose a significant fire risk.
NWS meteorologist Matt Mehle emphasized the importance of being cautious, stating that past fires have occurred even in cooler temperatures. The safety measures taken by PG&E are a necessary precaution to prevent any potential disasters. As the situation continues to develop, updates will be provided.
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