Hundreds of Central Coast residents are facing power shutoffs and outage warnings this weekend as utility companies brace for critical fire weather conditions.
As of Saturday afternoon, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) told KSBY that 294 residents in Northern San Luis Obispo County were left without power after the company issued a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in the region.
The PSPS spans across areas east of San Miguel, as well as areas surrounding Lake Nacimiento.
PG&E officials say the outages are meant to reduce the risk of wildfires amid this weekend's warm temperatures and strong winds.
Customers affected by the outages will reportedly have their power restored by Sunday afternoon.
Cuesta College's North County campus in Paso Robles is offering impacted residents access to air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and resources during the power shut-off.
In Santa Barbara County, PG&E issued another PSPS warning lasting until Sunday at noon.
One customer was left without power as of Saturday afternoon, according to a PG&E representative.
Southern California Edison (SCE) reports that power shutoffs are also being considered for 643 customers in areas along the coast from Montecito to Jalama Beach County Park.
The outage advisories come as a red flag warning was issued for the interior mountains in Santa Barbara County this weekend.
The Santa Barbara County (SBC) Fire Department says it expects critical fire weather conditions in the region, including strong winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures.
The red flag warning went into effect at 1 p.m. on Saturday and is set to last until 5 a.m. on Sunday, according to SBC Fire.
