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SAN DIEGO – Some public safety power shutoffs are possible this week for San Diego Gas & Electric customers with hot weather and gusty Santa Ana winds in the forecast, the company said Monday.

SDG&E is urging customers in San Diego County to prepare for potential shutoffs and launched its Emergency Operations Center to track weather conditions. On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch running from 4 a.m. Thursday through 6 p.m. Friday for the county’s mountains and valleys with low humidity expected and gusts of wind between 40-50 mph possible.

The utility said it has begun “pre-patrols of equipment in high fire-threat districts” and will begin notifying customers of the risk of power shutoffs Tuesday morning.

“All of us at SDG&E are hoping that critical fire weather conditions do not result in having to shut off power over Thanksgiving so that our customers and employees can enjoy the holiday with their loved ones,” SDG&E’s chief safety officer Kevin Geraghty said in a statement. “Weather conditions change, and we have our team of professionals watching closely.”

“However, we wanted to let our customers know as early as possible that they could be impacted so they can make alternate holiday arrangements if needed,” Geraghty added.

With the threat of power shutoffs looming, SDG&E also encourages those who receive the notification to put into place their emergency plans to keep family and pets safe. Click or tap here for a list of suggested actions and a printable emergency kit checklist.

The NWS recommends residents take several precautionary actions ahead of potentially hazardous weather, including:

  • Create and maintaining defensible space around your home;
  • Familiarize yourself with several potential escape routes in the event of an evacuation;
  • Pack an emergency kit with basic necessities and critical documents;
  • Ensure your home’s insurance policy is up to date; and
  • Consider purchasing a portable radio or scanner.

SDG&E plans to publish Tuesday a list of areas at risk of public safety power shutoffs at sdge.com/ready. The company’s Outage Map is available here.