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Bay Area prepares for PG&E shutoffs as Red Flag Warning begins

By KTVU Staff
Updated  October 14, 2020 4:38am PDT
Severe Weather
KTVU FOX 2

Calistoga restaurant can’t catch a break between wildfire, PG&E shutoff closures

Calistoga's Lovina just reopened after a 10-day closure from the Glass Fire evacuations. Now it braces to shutter again, threatened by the PG&E public safety power shutoff.

SAN FRANCISCO - Pacific Gas and Electric anticipates shutting off power to as many as 54,000 customers in its service areas, including more than 22,000 customers around the Bay Area.

Forecasters warned Tuesday that a combination of extreme heat, dry conditions, and gusty winds could lead to wildfire activity.

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PG&E plans to conduct another Public Safety Power Shutoff event (PSPS) beginning on Wednesday. PG&E's preemptive shutoffs have been a recurring event during California's increasingly prolonged and dangerous fire season and are a safety precaution to help prevent damage to the electrical system, which have in the past, sparked wildfires. 

There are 24 counties that could be impacted including, Contra Costa, Alameda, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Santa Clara, and San Mateo. Napa County takes the brunt of the outages with 9,230 customers potentially affected. As many as 22,109 Bay Area customers could be in the dark by Wednesday. 

MAP: HERE'S WHERE PG&E MAY SHUT OFF POWER

Some restaurants that just reopened after being evacuated due to the Glass Fire, are bracing for a two-day shutdown. The Lovina restaurant in Calistoga announced that it will close Wednesday ahead of the shutoff. Lovina's owner expects heavy losses. 

PG&E crews will be aiming to restore power to all customers within 12 daylight hours after the winds die down. 

The strongest burst of wind is expected between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. Gusts may reach 50 mph in the hills.

Red Flag Warning begins Wednesday 5 a.m.

Meteorologist Mark Tamayo talks about fire danger

A Fire Weather Watch that was previously issued by the National Weather Service was upgraded to a red flag warning. The warning goes into effect on Wednesday at 5 a.m. throuh Friday at 11 a.m. It covers the North Bay Hills, North Bay Valleys, East Bay Hills, East Bay interior valleys and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

As a result of the red flag warning, the following regional parks in the East Bay Hills will close at 5 a.m. Wednesday through Friday at 11 a.m.:  


·        Anthony Chabot Regional Park (Including Anthony Chabot campground)
·        Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve
·        Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
·        Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area
·        Leona Canyon Open Space Regional Preserve
·        Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
·        Roberts Regional Recreation Area
·        Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
·        Tilden Regional Park
·        Wildcat Canyon Regional Park (including Alvarado Park)
 
EBRPD Fire Department will be staffing several park fire stations along with CalFire who remains on high alert.

For up-to-date information on closures and reopenings, visit www.ebparks.org.