SCE Power Shutoff Warnings Issued For Parts Of SWR

MURRIETA, CA — Hundreds of thousands of Southland residents may have their power shut off in a preemptive move by Southern California Edison to avoid power lines possibly sparking wildfires.

The utility company said that as of 2:45 p.m. Thursday, they'd already cut power to 26,786 customers. Another 386,116 customers are under consideration for a Public Safety Power Shutoff, also known as a PSPS. More than 50,000 of them are located in Riverside County.

Here in Southwest Riverside County, the cities of Murrieta and Lake Elsinore were spared from the warning. However, some homes in the Temecula Valley wine country area, Menifee and in nearby Perris are included in the alert.

The alert from SoCal Edison comes as strong Santa Ana winds are expected in the Inland Empire Thursday and Friday, raising the threat of wildfires. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning, in effect until 5 p.m. Friday in the Riverside County mountains and valleys.

The winds are expected to remain strong through midday Friday, then gradually taper off during the afternoon, forecasters said.

In Riverside County, the power has already been cut in the Mountain Center area. Utility officials say 133 customers are impacted by that PSPS.

Here are the areas in Riverside County that are affected (click on link to view a map):

• Banning
• Beaumont
• Desert Hot Springs
• Palm Springs
• Hemet Map 1
• Hemet Map 2
• San Jacinto Map 1
• San Jacinto Map 2
• San Jacinto Map 3
• Menifee
• Perris
• Corona
• Temecula
• Unincorporated areas including Banning Pass, North Palm Springs, between Beaumont and Banning, Riverside County, San Jacinto, Lake Perris North Shore, Lakeview Map 1, Lakeview Map 2, Lakeview Map 3, Lakeview Map 4, Lakeview Map 5, Nuevo Map 1, Nuevo Map 2, Nuevo Map 3, Lake Elsinore, Temecula, Lakeview Hot Springs, Cabazon, Med Valley, Goodhope, Eden Hot Springs, Juniper Flats, Gilman Hot Springs, Big Oaks Canyon, Owl, portions of Desert Hills Outlet Mall, Mountain Center, Temecula, Banning SW of Cabazon and NE of Banning, Whitewater Canyon

If you're in an affected area, utility officials urge you to plan ahead. SCE recommends:

• Have a personal safety plan in place for every member of your household (including pets).
• Plan for any medical needs like medications that need to be refrigerated or devices that require power.
• Build or restock your emergency supply kit, including food, water, flashlights, a radio, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and cash.
• Identify backup charging methods for phones.
• Learn how to manually open your garage door.
• If you own a backup generator, ensure it is ready to safely operate.
• To learn more ways to prepare, download the power company fact sheet.

— City News Service contributed to this report