As wildfires sweep through Southern California, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) are mobilizing resources to support emergency services and mitigate power outages.

PG&E has dispatched two Blackhawk helicopters and 25 Safety and Infrastructure Protection Team (SIPT) crews to assist firefighting efforts and protect critical infrastructure at the request of Cal Fire and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). These teams are tasked with applying fire retardant, inspecting damage, and ensuring safe power restoration.

Meanwhile, SCE has reported over 400,000 outages due to public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) and windstorm-related issues. The outages impact 183,186 customers through PSPS measures and another 230,453 from storm damage.

The Palisades Fire, spanning over 15,000 acres between Santa Monica and Malibu, has prompted evacuations, while other wildfires, such as a 10,600-acre blaze near Pasadena, have caused additional disruptions.

“Given the unsafe conditions for electric power restorations, customers may experience several days of outages,” said SCE spokesperson Jeff Monford. PG&E’s Mark Quinlan and Peter Kenny commended their teams for supporting Southern California during this crisis.

Both utilities stress the importance of wildfire mitigation and preparedness as dangerous conditions persist.

Source: power-technology.com and pge.com