Pacific Power issues public safety power shutoff watch for small portion of Siskiyou County

DUNSMUIR, Calif. — Pacific Power is closely monitoring weather conditions which include forecasted elevated winds and extreme fire conditions in an area from Dunsmuir south to Castella in southern Siskiyou County. The company has issued a Public Safety Power Shutoff watch for that area. A PSPS watch means the company is actively monitoring the approaching weather system and its potential impact on the electrical network. Pacific Power stands ready to de-energize its lines in the interest of public safety if conditions could contribute to igniting wildfires.  

“The safety of the communities we serve is our top priority and issuing a Public Safety Power Shutoff watch lets our customers know there is a potential for a controlled outage Tuesday into Wednesday,” said Curtis Mansfield, senior vice president of operations. “Our meteorology team and operations professionals are actively monitoring the dry offshore wind event and we’re ready to respond if conditions worsen in the area.”

The 2,053 customers in the potential de-energization area have been notified of the Public Safety Power Shutoff watch through phone calls, email and text messages. Customers will continue to receive notifications if a Public Safety Power Shutoff is necessary or if the watch is canceled. 

Pacific Power is taking further safety precautions by directing additional restoration personnel and resources to monitor weather impact on the system. In the event of a power outage, employees will inspect lines and facilities for safety before power is restored, which could result in longer outages.

If conditions are met, a Public Safety Power Shutoff is a proactive measure to mitigate wildfire risk in the face of hazardous fire weather conditions including extreme low humidity, dry vegetation and elevated winds and key weather indexes thresholds. Current local area forecasts indicate Public Safety Power Shutoff thresholds for those conditions could be met Tuesday evening.

Weather-related power outages can happen during high wind events. The company urges customers to follow emergency management official recommendations to have a plan and be prepared. For all non-emergency questions about the Public Safety Power Shutoff watch, customers and the public should call Pacific Power at 1-888-221-7070. 

Visit pacificpower.net/psps for additional information on Public Safety Power Shutoffs and company wildfire mitigation practices and updates.