While year-round sunshine is one of California’s greatest perks, it can also be one of its pitfalls. That warm weather often breeds dry vegetation, fueling fast-spreading wildfires when winds rise.
To combat the wildfire threat, Southern California Edison uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) — an important tool that keeps communities safe.
What is it?
Strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation create the perfect conditions for wildfires to spread quickly. It’s in these situations where SCE temporarily turns off power — activating PSPS — to help reduce the risk of electrical equipment becoming the source of ignition.
Why is it important?
Any power interruption is frustrating, but these shutoffs keep communities safe by significantly reducing the threat of wildfires in high-risk areas.
“We understand how disruptive a PSPS outage can be, but we have seen many situations where winds have caused things to blow into our lines,” said Ted Gribble, SCE principal manager of PSPS Evaluation and Evolution on the Operations Wildfire Task Force. “If the vegetation was dry and we hadn’t turned the power off, those objects making contact with the equipment could have caused a spark and led to a wildfire.”
How long does it last?
Making the decision to turn off power is not done lightly. Before, during and after an event, SCE tracks weather data — with more than 1,870 weather stations delivering real-time conditions throughout the service area — and has crews in the field reporting on live updates.
Once winds have calmed, crews work as safely and quickly as possible to restore power. To do that, they must physically patrol the entire circuit to make sure there are no safety hazards before reenergizing the lines. These patrols can take time, but SCE is leveraging newly available drone technology and Federal Aviation Administration waivers to improve efficiency.
How to prepare for PSPS:
- Sign up for PSPS alerts. Alerts are available for both customers and non-customers, including caregivers, family members and tenants.
- Plan ahead for potential PSPS events. SCE updates its website up to seven days in advance for counties that could be affected by dangerous weather.
- Join a Wildfire Safety Community Meeting in your neighborhood for more information on PSPS.
For information on PSPS and decision-making, visit sce.com/PSPS.
