Powering Off for Wildfire Safety
When there are potentially dangerous weather conditions in fire-prone areas, we may need to call a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event. During these events, we will proactively turn off power in high fire risk areas to reduce the threat of wildfires. Turning off our customers’ power is not something we take lightly, but PSPS events are one of the ways we can better ensure the safety of the public, our customers and our employees.
Get notified about PSPS events and other outages near you.
Sign up or update your contact information to receive emails, texts or phone calls about PSPS events and other outages in your area.
How do PSPS events work?
When forecasts indicate elevated weather conditions, we’ll begin assessing the potential impact to affected areas. We’ll analyze historical data to help predict the likelihood of a wildfire occurring, closely monitor weather watch alerts from the National Weather Service, and place incident responders on alert, if needed. Disclaimer: Erratic or sudden onset of conditions may impact our ability to provide advanced notice to customers.
First Notification: 2 Days Ahead
If weather conditions warrant a possible PSPS, we will notify potentially affected customers.
Second Notification: 1 Day Ahead
If weather conditions persist, we will notify impacted customers again.
Third Notification: Power Shutoff
When weather conditions confirm the decision to shut off power, we will send a notification to impacted customers.
Fourth Notification: After Restoring Power
After weather conditions return to safer levels, our field teams will check to make sure that power can be safely restored. We will send a notification telling impacted customers that power has been restored.
Other notifications may occur as needed to keep customers informed.
View the full process
4-7 Days Ahead
When forecasts indicate extreme fire conditions, SCE will begin predictive modeling to assess potential impact.
4 Days Ahead
SCE monitors fire weather watch alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) and continues to refine predictive models. Incident responders are placed on alert.
2 Days Ahead
Extreme fire conditions forecasted. Coordinate with the emergency management community, first responders and local government first. Initiate customer notifications on possible PSPS.
First notification sent to customers
1 Day Ahead
Extreme fire conditions imminent; continue to coordinate with emergency management community, first responders, local government, and customers of possible PSPS.
Second notification sent to customers
During: Power Is Shut Off
Extreme fire conditions validated by field resources, notify the emergency management community, first responders, local government, and customers to power shutoff. Note that an erratic or sudden onset of conditions may impact our ability to provide advanced notice to customers.
Third notification sent to customers
After: Power Is Restored
Extreme fire conditions subside to safe levels; field resources perform inspections and patrols of equipment, then power is restored to affected communities; notification sent to impacted parties.
Fourth notification sent to customers
How can I find out if I live in a high fire risk area?
A PSPS event may be called if you live in an area that has been deemed as a high-fire threat area by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC has created maps to help you find out if you live in one of these affected areas.
How can I prepare for PSPS events?
Start Planning Today
Find out how to set up an outage supply kit, prepare your home for future outages, and stay safe when an outage occurs.
Rely on medical equipment?
If you’re a Medical Baseline customer and depend on powered medical equipment, you should plan to have a backup power source, such as an uninterruptible power supply, or a backup location in case of a power outage.
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Want more information?
For more outage tips and resources, visit PrepareforPowerDown.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
You can expect to hear from us at regular intervals:
- 4-7 days ahead: When we see extreme weather forecasts, we begin planning up to a week in advance. Please consult our weather awareness map for a seven-day weather forecast.
- 3 days ahead: We send initial notifications about a possible power shutoff to local and tribal governments, emergency officials, first responders, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure and service providers. We post advance information to the Public Safety Partner portal and show affected areas and resources on the Outage Map.
- 2 days ahead: We send initial notifications to customers, and notification updates to local governments and agencies.
- 1 day ahead: We send updated timing information to all customers.
- 0-4 hours ahead: Whenever possible we send notifications that power is likely to be shut off.
- Please note: Erratic or sudden onset of weather conditions may affect our ability to provide advance notice to customers.
Once a safety shutoff is in progress, you can expect to receive these notifications:
- Power shutoff: We’ll inform you when power has been shut off.
- Preparing to Restore Power: We will let you know when field crews have begun to inspect our lines to determine whether it is safe to restore power.
- Power restoration: We’ll inform you when power has been restored, at which time our Outage Map will reflect your all-clear status.
- PSPS all-clear: We’ll also inform you about which circuits are no longer being considered for PSPS
Please note: Certain situations may prevent SCE from providing advance notice to customers. Other notifications may occur as needed to keep customers informed.
We intend to notify affected customers approximately two days in advance of a potential power shutoff. This notification will be sent via email, text, or phone call. We may also send another notice to customers one day before a potential power shutoff. We will keep customers updated regularly on our website and social media channels. We will also notify affected customers when power has been restored. SCE customers can sign up for PSPS alerts in English and other available languages at sce.com/pspsalerts
Each of California’s investor-owned utilities determines when a PSPS is called and how it will be implemented. California’s three largest utilities, at the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission, coordinate to prepare all Californians for the threat of wildfires and power outages during times of extreme weather. Find more information about this statewide effort at prepareforpowerdown.com.
Strong winds combined with dry ground conditions can increase wildfire threat. These same winds can cause vegetation or other items to blow into power lines and could result in an ignition, possibly creating a significant wildfire. Under these situations, we may shut off power to customers to keep you and your community safe. SCE considers a number of factors and conditions before declaring a PSPS, including but are not limited to:
- High winds
- Low humidity
- Dry vegetation that could serve as fuel
- On-the-ground observations
- Fire threat to electric infrastructure
- Public-safety risk
Customers who live in high fire risk areas are more likely to experience a PSPS. However, customers who do not live in high-fire-risk areas may also be affected because of how the electrical grid is interconnected. SCE has a network of circuits providing power to 15 million people within a 50,000-square-mile area of central, coastal, and Southern California. Anyone in California could be affected by emergency events such as safety shutoffs and needs to be prepared with a plan.