Power outages possible in North Bay early next week due to increasing fire dangers

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KTVU) - Pacific Gas and Electric is warning residents in the North Bay that an increase in fire danger could force them to shut off power.

The potential public safety power shutoff warning comes as drier weather is forecasted this weekend. with no rain in the immediate future.

Though it will be very warm and somewhat windy in the Santa Rosa-area this weekend, PG&E as well as local fire officials are bracing for a much more serious situation at the beginning of the work week.

"Right now a PSPS, a Public Safety Power Shutoff, has not been called, has not been initiated, but we did find there's some hot and gusty weather coming in on Monday and Tuesday, so we did raise the status of a potential PSPS to elevated," says PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras. "We raised it up one level."

"This is the time of year, when we head into September and October, that we typically reach the peak of our fire season here locally," said Santa Rosa Fire Marshall Paul Lowenthal. "Yes, we've had a late season, and we've had a relatively quiet season, which is good for us but, but the same time, we know the risks associated with late September and early October."

Similar conditions and warnings of potential shutoffs are not just confined to Santa Rosa.

"We're looking in the Sierra foothills and in the North Bay right now. Again, we just at the elevated status," says Contreras.