PG&E chooses not to shut off power during early fall heatwave

SONOMA, Calif. (KTVU) - PG&E won't shut off power to 124,000 Bay Area customers Monday night, despite high fire risk in the region. 

Still, the utility said that crews will monitor the weather forecast for Monday night and Tuesday as a red flag warning remains in effect. If necessary, the company says it will initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).

"Even though we're not planning on shutting off the power in the North Bay tonight, there's still is the potential for another weather system moving in Tuesday night. So, people may be contacted again," said PG&E spokesperson Deanna Contreras.

Residents are bracing themselves as fire season has hit the Bay Area. 

"We're certainly not happy about it, but we realize it's probably the safest option,"  said PG&E customer Jane Hirsch of Sonoma. 

PG&E warned customers about a possible power shut down after the National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon issued the red flag fire warning from 9 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Wednesday.

"Well, no one likes to lose their power but I'd rather have a couple of days without power than have a big fire up here," said  PG&E customer Jeff Splitgerber of Sonoma.  

The weather service warning applied to the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills, including the Diablo Range, for locations 1,000 feet in elevation and higher, said Roger Gass, a weather service meteorologist.

Forecasters say winds are expected to reach 30 to 35 mph in those areas with gusts of up to 40 mph at the higher peaks and ridges. Lower elevations are expected to see light winds.

Temperatures in the 90s are expected across interior parts of the region. The Bay Area will see temperatures in the 80s to 90s, Gass said.

For more information and to see if an address is affected by the possible shutdown, click here.