Thousands Without Power As SDG&E Begins New Round Of Public Safety Power Shutoffs

SAN DIEGO, CA — Lingering dry and windy conditions prompted more public safety power shutoffs Tuesday in parts of San Diego County.

"Due to a new round of Santa Ana winds and elevated fire weather conditions impacting our region this week, San Diego Gas & Electric has initiated public safety power shutoffs in certain communities to help reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety," the utility company said in a news release.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 5,620 customers were without power, while an additional 49,317 customers could potentially be affected by the outages, according to SDG&E.

"SDG&E's Emergency Operations Center is monitoring the high winds and severe wildfire conditions around the clock and will continue to de-energize equipment for safety as conditions warrant," the company said. "Safety is our top priority, and power will be restored when conditions improve and no longer pose a threat to our customers."

A wind advisory and red flag warning are in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday for the county's mountains and valleys, according to the National Weather Service.

SDG&E opened community resource centers to assist affected communities. Centers have wi-fi and charging stations for phone and medical devices.

A list of impacted communities and community resource center locations is available at sdge.com/ready.