SDG&E cuts power to more than 50,000 as Santa Ana winds blow in, prompts school closures

San Diego Gas & Electric started taking preventative measures on Monday afternoon to prevent potential wildfires amid gusting Santa Ana winds by cutting power to tens of thousands of customers overnight.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 50,824 customers in dozens of San Diego County communities had their power shut off, according to SDG&E's website. A list of impacted areas can be found here.

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As many as 115,000 SDG&E customers might have their power turned off through Friday at noon to reduce wildfire risk due to extreme fire weather conditions that meteorologists called the most extreme wind event this season.

According to SDG&E's website, outages for some of those communities could last days. About a dozen resource centers have been established for affected residents.

NBC 7 reached out to SDG&E on Monday night after receiving several calls from viewers asking why the utility cut their power when they didn't feel strong winds.

In an emailed response, an SDG&E spokesperson said: "A variety of factors are taken into consideration when deciding whether to shut power off for safety, including local wind speeds, vegetation moisture, humidity, field observations, and information from fire authorities.

"While some customers may not be experiencing high winds at their homes or businesses, high winds can still impact the up-stream power lines feeding their neighborhood. To help protect the safety of our customers, we may need to shut off power to these lines, potentially causing down-stream outages."

East county residents prepare for outages

Gusts of 35 mph and up were already being recorded in Campo and along the Interstate 8 corridor on Monday afternoon. Around 10 p.m., the winds started to pick up, with gusts up to 50 mph in some areas.

"For those of you who are in the back country In those wind-prone areas who have received notices from us, It is time now to take some of those steps to be prepared for the possibility of a prolonged power outage," SDG&E spokesman Brian D'Agostino said Monday.

In Ramona, the power outage forced some businesses to close early and triggered a flood of people to fill up at the gas station, getting gas, water and ice, which SDG&E recommended.

"I'm just getting gas for my generator," Johnny Aldridge told NBC 7. "I've got the heater going. I've got WiFi and TV. I got my survival rig out. We're good."

Aldridge says he heeded the warnings about precautionary shutoffs, but not everyone paid attention.

"They got me off guard, and so I got to get gas, and I got to get to work tomorrow," Joel Tinoco said. "I think everyone's kind of panicked. I don't think anybody was really prepared for anything like this, but you just have to stay calm."

People in the North County coastal communities are also bracing for potential power outages after some say they got SDG&E's warning. Since powerlines run over Cameron McKenzie's backyard in Del Mar, he says he's keeping a close watch.

"Charge the phones, computers," McKenzie said. "I work from home, so maybe I'll be in a coffee shop for a day and a half sorting it out. Obviously, with family and kids, you've got to make sure you go through the fridge and clear out all leftovers and whatever in the freezer."

When asked if the city of Del Mar trimmed trees or took steps to prepare for potential wind damage this week, Clem Brown, Del Mar's assistant city manager, said the city has a "proactive annual tree maintenance program."

"While we haven't done any specific trimming work in anticipation for this weather event, we are prepared," Brown said.

SDG&E's Emergency Operations Center is "monitoring the high winds and severe wildfire conditions around the clock and will continue to de-energize equipment for safety as conditions warrant,'' a statement from the utility read. "Power will not be restored until conditions improve and no longer pose a threat to the infrastructure.''

The utility advised that personal emergency plans should be used to keep family, pets and livestock safe. Officials also urged the public to report downed power lines by calling 911 or SGD&E's call center at 800-411-7343.

School closures

The San Diego County Office of Education announced multiple schools will be closed on Tuesday due to the power shutoffs and weather.

The following school districts are affected:

• Dehesa School District
• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
• Mountain Empire School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
•  Vallecitos School District
• Warner Unified School District
• Ramona Unified School District

"The safety of students and school staff is of the utmost importance to San Diego County school districts," the Office of Education said on its website.

Casino closes due to weather, outages

Harrah's Resort Southern California — a gaming casino and hotel in Valley Center — is closed to guests until further notice because of the red flag warning and power outages, its website said on Monday.

Fire danger

A red-flag warning of critical fire danger conditions will be in effect until 4 a.m. Wednesday for the San Diego County mountains and inland valleys, according to the National Weather Service, which said northeast and east winds of 20-30 mph are expected, with local gusts possible up to 60 mph in valley areas, and up to 65 in some mountains and passes.

"Fire weather is going to be critical over the next 24-48 hours," said NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe. "This is looking like the strongest Santa Ana we’ve seen in quite a while — even some areas closer to the coast could get pretty breezy. The strongest winds will be inland."

Forecasters noted that humidity levels will fall as low as 5-10%, creating a combination of windy and dry conditions that cause rapidly spreading wildfires.

"Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly," officials said. "Outdoor burning is not recommended. Winds could damage outdoor property and will make for difficult driving conditions."

Cal Fire officials issued a statement urging residents to use caution and avoid any activities that could ignite a wildfire.

"We looking back at those historical events are preparing for what could be another very significant Santa Ana wind event for us here in San Diego," D'Agostino said adding, "if a fire starts, it could be an immediate threat to life and property."

Where will the winds be blowing

The winds will arrive around the county by 7 p.m. on Monday, developing in elevations above 3,000 feet. They will move down to lower elevations then and, by midnight, will be felt in Ramona and Alpine as well.

The National Weather Service said that the inds will be strongest in east-west oriented passes, such as the San Gorgonio Pass and San Diego County mountains and foothills.

"By the time we get in toward daybreak Tuesday, winds will be blowing all the way down to the coast," D'Agostino said, "and by the time we get to daybreak tomorrow and sunrise tomorrow, winds will be peaking … even enough wind down on portions of the coast, especially north of San Diego up in ... communities such as Del Mar, Scripps Ranch."

The utility spokesman said residents should expect tree limbs to fall in the high winds, which will knock out power to residents even if they are not living where there are public-safety power shutoffs.

Those affected by the public safety outages can visit community resource centers, according to SDG&E, and will have a variety of resources, including wi-fi, phone and medical device charging. A list of locations can be found here.

Bledsoe said people can expect the winds to taper off Tuesday evening, with the red-flag warning expected to expire at 4 a.m. on Wednesday.