Thousands of Placer County residents warned of possible PG&E power shutoffs amid wildfire concerns

Thousands of Placer County residents could lose power for up to three days as strong winds and extremely dry conditions raise wildfire concerns across California, prompting Pacific Gas and Electric Company to prepare for another round of Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

In total, PG&E warns that around 70,000 customers across Northern and Central California may be impacted by the shutoffs.

More than 9,000 customers in Placer County are among those who have been warned they could lose electricity beginning Wednesday evening.

For Todd Valley resident Leslie Schmid, the potential shutoff is another challenge that comes with living in the mountains.

"It's beautiful living. It's the fire threats… and the cost of insurance is the killer part," Schmid said.

Schmid said she received a text notification on Tuesday warning that her power could be shut off for as long as three days.

Preparing means getting her generator ready and making sure she has enough gasoline to keep it running. Despite the added expense and inconvenience, Schmid said she understands why the utility takes the precaution.

"It's a catch-22. Yes, I get it. I like my house. I don't want to lose my house," she said.

Schmid knows the risks firsthand. She was forced to evacuate during the Mosquito Fire in 2022 and said the current combination of dry vegetation and strong winds has her concerned.

"Everything is dry, and now we got the wind here," she said.

PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno said seasonal dry winds and vegetation that can easily burn are key factors in the utility's decision to consider shutting off power in high-risk areas.

The potential shutoffs mark the third Public Safety Power Shutoff event in just one week.

Moreno said the utility company is working to move power lines underground to reduce wildfire risks. However, until more of that work is completed, preventive shutoffs remain part of the utility's wildfire safety strategy.

"As we continue to build out the system, we can reduce the frequency of public safety power shutoffs for more and more people," Moreno said.

For Schmid, that means continuing to prepare for outages and adding more dates to her generator's record of use.

"It definitely seems to be necessary, and it seems to be all over these days," she said.

Schmid also said power shutting off and coming back on can damage household appliances, including refrigerators, potentially adding to the cost of an outage. She said she has previously had to replace a damaged fuse in an appliance.

PG&E customers who receive a shutoff warning should prepare for a possible outage by charging essential devices, securing backup power if available and making plans for any medical equipment that requires electricity.