With high temperatures expected throughout Santa Barbara County this week, Southern California Edison Co. and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. are considering public safety power shutoffs around the county.
Strong sundowner winds, low humidity and high temperatures increase the risk for wildfires, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a Red Flag Warning for critical fire weather conditions.
The warning will be in effect from noon Wednesday through Thursday morning.
Forecasters issued an extreme heat warning in effect from Tuesday to Thursday, with peak temperatures expected on Wednesday.
Temperatures have a potential range from the mid-80s to low-90s in coastal areas, with inland areas rising from the mid-90s up to 108 degrees, according to Meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.
Edison is considering power shutoffs for South Coast communities along the Gaviota Coast, in the Goleta Valley and along the Highway 154 corridor, potentially affecting 1,326 customers.
At a press conference held by PG&E, Senior Meteorologist Evan Duffy specified there are only two small areas within Lompoc Valley and Santa Ynez Valley, including Solvang, considered within the scope of potential shutoffs.
These two spots are being considered due to the wind alignment of those specific areas, as PG&E has limited circuitry on those wind-exposed areas.
Residents can check if their area is anticipating a shutoff using vitrual maps at PG&E and SCE. No local shutoffs were in effect as of Wednesday afternoon.
Throughout the state, 8,000 customers may be affected by power shutoffs.
While most shutoffs are tied to Santa Ana winds, Duffy said this is a “special situation” due to the unusual combination of onshore winds and a marine layer being suppressed.
“In special situations like this, where we have that marine layer being suppressed and offshore thanks to that big ridge of high pressure, but then we get the return of those onshore winds and concurrence, it creates a kind of special situation where northwest winds can actually bring elevated fire weather condition,” Duffy said.
He also mentioned that relative humidity will not recover at night, which will set up fire weather conditions that will extend into the evening and hit a duration of over 12 hours.
Santa Barbara County’s website states that residents in need of relief can access community-based cooling options such as malls, libraries, parks, movie theaters and beaches.
The county gave tips to stay cool, including drinking plenty of water, avoiding hazardous activity, and frequent breaks for those working outside.
Additionally, the county stated electric fans may provide comfort but won’t prevent heat-related illness if the temperature is in the high-90s.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden closed early Wednesday due to the Red Flag Warning.
