Santa Cruz County will see critical fire weather conditions beginning Thursday night, the National Weather Service is warning, as windy conditions sweep through Central and Northern California.
On Wednesday, the NWS expanded a red flag warning, lasting into Saturday, to include all of the county after earlier posting a warning for just the northern part. Neighboring Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Benito counties and most of Monterey County will also be under the warning from 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 p.m. Saturday, with the forecast calling for offshore winds in the 25-35 mph range and gusts up to 65 mph across the highest peaks.
Under a red flag warning, per the NWS, critical fire danger is likely or imminent, with low humidity, dry fuels and strong winds.
Pacific Gas & Electric is warning that Public Safety Power Shutoffs – a precautionary measure to avoid power lines sparking fires during hot, dry, windy weather – are possible across the state during that time; as of Thursday morning, Santa Cruz County was on PG&E’s list for Friday and Saturday, with areas north of the Soquel Demonstration State Forest and the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park mapped for shutoffs.
In a media release Thursday morning, PG&E said 132 customers in Santa Cruz County, eight on the Medical Baseline Program, could be affected.
The utility urges customers to enter their addresses to check specific status and to sign up for PSPS alerts.
How customers can prepare, via PG&E
- Use a cellphone or hard-wired phone. Cordless phones do not work without electricity.
- Use battery-operated flashlights, not candles, which may pose a fire hazard.
- Unplug or turn off all electric and heat-producing appliances (e.g., air conditioners, washers and dryers, ovens, stoves, irons) to avoid overloading circuits. Overloaded circuits can be a fire hazard once power is restored.
- Unplug televisions and computers that were in use when the power went out.
- Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and place extra containers of ice inside to preserve food. A full freezer will remain colder longer.
- Notify your alarm company if you have an alarm system. Equipment can be affected by outages.
- Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
- Reset clocks, thermostats and other programmed equipment after power is restored.
Fire-safe tips from Cal Fire
In a news release Thursday morning, Cal Fire’s San Mateo-Santa Cruz unit reminded residents to take precautions to avoid starting a wildfire, including:
- No bonfires or campfires.
- Properly extinguish fires.
- Properly dispose of cigarettes.
- Avoid using fire-prone tools in the heat of the day.
- Properly maintain vehicles and trailers.
- Don’t park on dry grass.
- Follow local fire restrictions.
- Create defensible space around your property.
- Store flammable materials safely.
- No fireworks.
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