15K Without Power, 60K More Safety Shutoffs Planned In LA County

LOS ANGELES, CA — More than 15,100 Los Angeles County Southern California Edison customers were without power Wednesday, and almost 60,000 more face power shutoffs, as a precaution for Santa Ana wind gusts reaching 100 mph in some places.

The shutoffs come as explosive wildfires broke out in Malibu and Ventura County near the Los Angeles County line, burning down homes, causing injuries and forcing hundreds to flee to safety.

See also:

• Hundreds Flee As Wind-Driven Wildfires Destroy Homes In SoCal
• Broad Fire Breaks Out Near PCH In Malibu

The power shut-offs began around 3 p.m. An exact time for power restoration was not immediately available.

The power shutoff affected numerous businesses without backup generators, including grocery stores and homes. Pharmacies, area gyms, and gas stations were closed.

The National Weather Service has predicted gusts of up to 100 miles per hour, which led to SCE implementing the measures.

"We implement power safety shutoffs as a tool of last resort due to public safety concerns," SCE spokesperson Gabriella Ornelas, told Patch. Power Safety Shutoff areas are identified due to danger during Santa Ana windstorms and low levels of rain.

The power shut-off impacted a wide swath of Southern California and was not expected to return through much of Thursday until fire conditions eased, according to SCE.

"Note that this map (below) will reflect 'power off' until all customers on your circuit segment have had their power restored," according to the company.

Residents can check their addresses to see if their home is affected by the Power Safety Shutoff service.

According to SCE, it may take up to 8 hours to fully restore power when fire conditions end. Still, it may take longer if daylight is needed for safe inspections or if we find damage.

"Circuits may cause one neighbor to have power and another neighbor to be without," Ornelas said. "Shutting people's power off is a matter of last resort during this type of weather."