High temperatures, fast wind speeds and low humidity have increased the chance of wildfires this week, leading Southern California Edison (SCE) to cut off power to certain areas in an attempt to lower the risk of fire catching, according to an SCE media representative.
The recent power shutoffs follow a September U.S. lawsuit against SCE seeking over $70 million in damages for alleged negligence connected to the Eaton and Fairview fires.
According to the SCE’s Safety-Related Outages map, the entirety of Los Angeles County has been put under a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) warning until Wednesday night.
“We use the tool of public safety power shutoff when it’s necessary based on local conditions at some point on a circuit. This would include current or potential wind and dry vegetation. The purpose of the PSPS is to turn off a line before windblown debris hits it and causes a spark,” Jeff Monford, a media representative for SCE, said in a statement to Annenberg Media.
As of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, just over 2,000 SCE customers in Southern California — 62 of which are in L.A. County — are experiencing a PSPS. Up to 4,000 more L.A. County residents could be affected, as more power safety shutoffs are being considered. USC, which is powered by SCE, could also potentially face a shutoff in the coming days.
If a power outage occurs, SCE says it will only restore service to the affected area once the winds in the area subside and the power lines have been inspected by crew members.