"Santa Ana winds triggered power shutoffs for 2,000-plus Southern California Edison customers Wednesday, with another 22,373 potential outages as wind gusts hit 50 mph. Utilities cut power as a fire prevention measure during severe wind events. SCE faces scrutiny after equipment potentially sparked the deadly Eaton fire. Despite recent rainfall, dry fuel conditions persist, creating heightened fire risk as northeast winds push humidity into single digits."
"The first Santa Anas of the season triggered a power shutoff for thousands of Southern Californians on Wednesday as utilities, firefighters and health officials were put on alert for impacts from the strong winds and unseasonably warm temperatures. More than 2,000 Southern California Edison customers lost power as part of a public safety power shutoff, utility officials said, and another 22,373 shutoffs for customers were being considered."
""We want to prevent anything that's become airborne from hitting a power line and igniting a spark," SCE spokesperson Jeff Monford said in a statement. The utility said power would be restored for customers by midnight. California's three largest utilities have adopted a strategy in the last decade of cutting off power to customers in wind-prone areas when the weather creates a risk of fast-moving wildfires so their equipment does not create a dangerous spark."
The first Santa Ana winds of the season prompted public-safety power shutoffs affecting more than 2,000 Southern California Edison customers, with another 22,373 potential outages considered. The outages affected parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside counties as a two-day wind event pushed temperatures into the 90s and produced gusts up to 50 mph. Utilities said the shutoffs aimed to prevent airborne debris from contacting power lines and igniting fires and said power would be restored by midnight. Southern California Edison faces investigation over equipment possibly starting the deadly Eaton fire, and fuels remain dry with humidity in the single digits.
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