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PG&E prepares for Public Safety Power Shutoff on Wednesday amid North Bay's Red Flag Warning - KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco

KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco · last updated

PG&E prepares for Public Safety Power Shutoff on Wednesday amid North Bay's Red Flag Warning

Primary power lines run along Kirker Pass Rd.. in Concord, Calif., on September 20, 2021. (Ray Saint Germain/Bay City News)

VACAVILLE, Calif. - Pacific Gas and Electric on Tuesday announced they are preparing for a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on Wednesday, due to weather conditions that could spark wildfires.

PG&E's chief meteorologist said there is the potential for hot and dry wind to strengthen on Wednesday and to push south as the weather system is currently moving through the Pacific Northwest.

The event starts around 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. Wednesday. Officials predict it will be a short-lived event with winds dying down by the afternoon.

The utility did not indicate how widespread the outages could be, but said you can find the latest information on their website at pge.com/pspsupdates.

The National Weather Service also issued a Red Flag Warning in effect for the North Bay mountains from 11 p.m. Tuesday until 8 p.m. Wednesday. The warning indicates hot and windy conditions that could lead to the quick spread of wildfires. The weather service says the biggest threat is in the higher elevations of eastern Napa County.

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The forecast is for gusty north winds of 35 to 40 mph in higher terrains in Napa County, and inland parts of the Bay Area could see temperatures in the mid to high 90s Wednesday. The weather service also warns to not burn outdoors during the timeframe of the warning.

This is the first Red Flag Warning since Oct. 2021.

Forecasters say cooler weather is expected in the region by the end of the week and through the weekend, with a chance of small amounts of precipitation across the North Bay on Saturday morning and afternoon.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

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