LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A potential wind event has led Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to plan a public safety power shutoff for 28,000 customers across 30 counties, including Lake, later this week.

PG&E said its meteorologists and operations professionals are monitoring a potential wind event forecasted to enter parts of our service area around noon on Thursday and exit as late as midday Saturday.

Given the forecasted strong winds and current dry vegetation conditions, PG&E has begun sending advanced notifications to customers — via text, email and automated phone call — in targeted areas where power may need to be proactively shut off for safety to reduce wildfire risk.

The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, and not all customers will be affected for the entire period.

The potential public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, event could affect approximately 28,000 customers in small portions of several counties, including areas in the North Bay, East Bay, Central Coast and Sierra Nevadas.

PG&E’s in-house meteorologists, Emergency Operations Center, and Hazard Awareness & Warning Center continue to monitor conditions closely and will share additional customer notifications as conditions evolve.

When possible, PG&E representatives will make individual, in-person visits to customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline Program who do not verify they have received these important safety communications, with a primary focus on customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.

Potentially affected customers, counties

Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

The potential shutoff is currently expected to affect approximately 28,000 customers across the following counties:

• Alameda County: 28 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer.
• Alpine County: 564 customers, 10 Medical Baseline customers.
• Amador County: 55 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers.
• Butte County: 648 customers, 51 Medical Baseline customers.
• Calaveras County: 2,346 customers, 59 Medical Baseline customers.
• Colusa County: 605 customers, 30 Medical Baseline customers.
• Contra Costa County: 805 customers, 49 Medical Baseline customers.
• El Dorado County: 984 customers, 28 Medical Baseline customers.
• Fresno County: 1,151 customers, 73 Medical Baseline customers.
• Glenn County: 511 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers.
• Lake County: 168 customers, 8 Medical Baseline customers.
• Madera County: 2,901 customers, 216 Medical Baseline customers.
• Mariposa County: 640 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers.
• Mendocino County: 10 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers.
• Merced County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers.
• Monterey County: 576 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers.
• Napa County: 649 customers,17 Medical Baseline customers.
• Nevada County: 808 customers, 16 Medical Baseline customers.
• Placer County: 1,175 customers, 26 Medical Baseline customers.
• Plumas County: 658 customers, 27 Medical Baseline customers.
• San Luis Obispo County: 128 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers.
• Santa Barbara County: 106 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers.
• Shasta County: 1,417 customers, 87 Medical Baseline customers.
• Sierra County: 972 customers, 41 Medical Baseline customers.
• Solano County: 2,467 customers, 196 Medical Baseline customers.
• Sonoma County: 707 customers, 19 Medical Baseline customers.
• Stanislaus County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers.
• Tehama County: 2,872 customers, 275 Medical Baseline customers.
• Tuolumne County: 3,823 customers, 175 Medical Baseline customers.
• Yolo County: 262 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers.

PG&E said it initiates PSPS when the fire-weather forecast is severe enough that people’s safety, lives, homes and businesses may be in danger of wildfires.

Factors that can lead to a PSPS include but are not limited to:

• Low humidity levels, generally 30% and below.
• A forecast of high winds, particularly sustained winds above 19 miles per hour and wind gusts above 30 to 40 miles per hour.
• Condition of dry material on the ground and low moisture content of vegetation.
• A red flag warning declared by the National Weather Service.
• Real-time ground observations from our crews working across the service area.