SDG&E restores power to all customers affected by shutoffs amid fire threat

San Diego County appeared to make it through one of the strongest Santa Ana wind events of the season largely unscathed this week, with the weather expected to change course to gusty onshore winds and a chance for light showers by Thursday.

A red flag warning expired at 4 a.m. Wednesday as Santa Ana winds died down, but humidity levels less than 10% in some parts of the county were still elevating the concern for wildfires to grow quickly and out of control throughout the day.

San Diego Gas & Electric said Wednesday night it had restored power to all of its customers affected by the public safety power shutoffs during the wind event.

"High fire risk weather conditions have passed," the utility said in an X post. "Our crews began patrol this morning & have given the ALL CLEAR to restore power to impacted customers."

High fire risk weather conditions have passed. Our crews began patrol this morning & have given the ALL CLEAR to restore power to impacted customers. We understand power outages are inconvenient, so we appreciate your patience as we work to keep our region safe from wildfires. pic.twitter.com/zF5oIt1nVO

— SDG&E (@SDGE) December 12, 2024

At the peak of SDG&E's power shutoffs, more than 50,000 people were in the dark. The shutoff warning was expected to continue through noon on Friday, according to the agency's website, and about 117,500 customers were initially alerted to potential outages.

SDG&E said the move to cut power is made with much forethought to prevent Santa Ana winds from downing power lines and sparking wildfires.

Meteorologists for NBC 7 and the National Weather Service indicated this was one of the strongest wind events in recent years with gusty easterly winds spanning to the coastline, which is less common. Wind gusts up to 95 mph blew through San Diego's mountains, foothills and inland valleys Tuesday morning.

The strongest wind gusts recorded during this wind event from Monday through Wednesday were a 95 mph gust in Sill Hill, a remote mountainous area of the county north of Interstate 8 and southwest of Lake Cuyamaca. The wind speed was unusual, according to NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe, but not a record.

Firefighters made fairly quick work of two fires amid the gustiest winds Tuesday morning — one in Ramona that burned less than 2 acres, and a second later in the day in East County near the U.S.-Mexico border that burned at least two dozen acres before crews gained the upper hand.

Two firefighters were injured battling the Dulzura wildfire; one suffered a head injury, and the other injured their leg, according to Cal Fire San Diego.

With the wind change, a storm system from the north will shift the weather pattern in San Diego, dropping temperatures and potentially bringing a bit of rain to the region by Thursday.

School closures

The following school districts canceled classes Wednesday due to the power shutoffs, the San Diego County Office of Education announced:

• Alpine Union School District
• Borrego Springs Unified School District
• Dehesa School District
• Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Mountain Empire School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Vallecitos School District
• Warner Unified School District
• Pauma School in Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, Barona Indian Charter School in Lakeside Union School District, and Del Lago Academy in Escondido Union High School District will also be closed due to power shutoffs.

The office of education said schools in a majority of those school districts will be open on Thursday.

UPDATE: Schools will be open tomorrow Dec. 12 in Alpine Union, Borrego Springs Unified, Dehesa, Jamul-Dulzura Union, Julian Union Elementary, Julian Union High, Mountain Empire, Spencer Valley school districts.

Barona Indian Charter School is also open tomorrow.

— San Diego County Office of Education (@SanDiegoCOE) December 12, 2024