The risk of wildfires has increased due to dry and windy conditions in several regions of Northern California, prompting Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to cut power across several counties.
Several Northern and Central California areas have been experiencing dry and windy conditions since May 17, 2026.
On Sunday, parts of Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, Napa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Solano, and Yolo counties were expected to experience power outages, CBS News reported, citing PG&E.
Other areas that are likely to be impacted include several counties in the Bay Area, parts of Alameda County and Contra Costa County, and small regions in Northern Napa and Sonoma counties.
Over 4,700 customers spanning 15 counties are likely to be affected, the report said.
The planned outages are expected to continue through Monday, while no outages were planned for Tuesday, according to the report.
Red Flag Warning Issued
A red flag warning has been issued for parts of Northern and Central California, primarily along the San Joaquin Valley. The warning covers extensive areas and cities, including Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Fairfield, Stockton, Oakdale, Merced, Fresno, Visalia, and Bakersfield.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issues a red flag warning when there are warm temperatures, very low humidity, and strong winds that combine to produce an elevated risk of fire danger.
The red flag warning will be in effect until 8 p.m. Monday.
Strong and gusty north to east winds and low humidity are expected, with daytime humidity expected to range in the single digits, according to the NWS.
PG&E announced on its website that it has initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in response to the red flag warning and to help prevent wildfires.
Extreme weather conditions, including strong winds, low humidity, vegetation near power lines, and red flag warnings, can cause trees or debris to damage power infrastructure. Dry vegetation can lead to a wildfire. In such a scenario, power service providers turn off power to keep citizens safe.
This temporary power outage is called PSPS, according to PG&E.
The company sends PSPS alerts to consumers as early as possible, as mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission, it said.
New Monitoring System
Earlier this month, PG&E launched a new monitoring system that detects wildfire risk and helps prevent wildfires.
The company said the new Continuous Monitoring Center (CMC) in San Ramon in Contra Costa County is a centralized hub that collates data and advanced machine learning from thousands of sensors installed across PG&E’s electric grid and combines it with information from its smart meter network comprising nearly 5.5 million meters.
The CMC analyzes signals across the electric system and flags abnormalities that need immediate attention. In 2025, the monitoring system helped to intercept 17 possible ignitions in high fire-risk areas and avoided 12 million minutes of unplanned customer outages, according to PG&E.
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