Public Safety Power Shutoff
Get PSPS event information
Do you depend on electricity for medical needs?
Support and services during a PSPS
What to do before and during an outage
Have key supplies on hand
- Flashlights for the household
- Battery-powered or crank radio
- Batteries in various sizes
- Mobile phone as backup if your landline will not work
- Cash and a full tank of gas
Follow important safety tips
- Have an emergency plan in place, including pets
- Avoid using candles during an outage
- Know how to manually open your garage or any electric door
- Unplug or turn off appliances and electronics to avoid damage when power is restored
- Check on your neighbors
Take precautions when using a generator
- Follow all instructions
- Test before using
- Position where exhaust can vent safely
- Do not run a portable generator in the rain
- Do not store fuel inside the house
No single factor drives a Public Safety Power Shutoff, as each situation is unique. PG&E carefully reviews a combination of many criteria when determining if power should be turned off for safety. These factors generally include, but are not limited to:
- A Red Flag Warning declared by the National Weather Service
- Low humidity levels, generally 20 percent and below
- Forecasted sustained winds generally above 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately 45 mph, depending on location and site-specific conditions such as temperature, terrain and local climate
- Condition of dry fuel on the ground and live vegetation (moisture content)
- On-the-ground, real-time observations from PG&E’s Wildfire Safety Operations Center and field crews
Importantly, while we monitor and take into consideration Red Flag Warnings issued from the National Weather Service, the issuance of a Red Flag Warning does not automatically trigger a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
Why would power be shut off in a community not experiencing high winds?
Predictions of strong winds are one of several criteria that we consider when deciding to initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff, along with other factors like predictions of very low humidity levels combined with critically dry vegetation and on-the-ground observations.
Although you may not live or work in a high fire-threat area, or an area experiencing high winds, your power may be shut off if your community relies upon a line that runs through an area experiencing gusty winds and dry conditions, combined with a heightened fire risk.
We anticipate that a Public Safety Power Shutoff could occur several times per year in PG&E’s service area although it is impossible to predict with certainty when, where and how often gusty winds and dry conditions, combined with a heightened fire risk, could occur, given the rapidly changing environmental conditions.
While customers in high fire-threat areas are more likely to be affected, any customer could have their power shut off if their community relies upon a line that passes through a high fire-threat area. We want all our customers to be prepared for this possibility no matter where they live or work.