LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA — Parts of the 925 woke up to the kind of Bay Area weather story that’s starting to feel all too familiar: strong dry winds, fire concerns, and PG&E outages.
PG&E said Sunday that it had begun proactively shutting off power in targeted areas for safety, including a 12:39 p.m. round that affected about 500 customers in small parts of Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin counties.
By later Sunday afternoon, PG&E said all customers in scope for the Public Safety Power Shutoff had been de-energized, with about 4,700 customers affected across its service area.
Contra Costa was not the largest county affected, but it was on the list. PG&E said Saturday evening that 409 Contra Costa County customers, including 30 Medical Baseline customers, were in scope for the potential shutoff.
Why PG&E Is Turning Off Power
The National Weather Service placed the East Bay Hills under a Wind Advisory from 11 p.m. Sunday through 11 a.m. Monday, with north to northeast winds of 15 to 30 mph, gusts up to 50 mph, and local gusts up to 60 mph possible. The agency warned that tree limbs could be blown down and “a few power outages may result.”
The bigger concern is not just wind. It is wind plus dry vegetation. The weather service said it was tracking an elevated fire weather threat through Monday afternoon across the Interior Bay Area and Central Coast, with humidity in the 10% to 25% range in higher terrain and rapid fire spread possible if a fire starts.
PG&E says Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used when severe weather could cause trees or debris to damage electrical equipment and potentially ignite a wildfire. The utility says factors include low humidity, forecasted high winds, dry material on the ground, vegetation near power lines, Red Flag Warnings, and real-time ground observations.
Not Every 925 Neighborhood Is Under the Same Risk
The strongest wind language is aimed at the hills, not every flatland neighborhood from Walnut Creek to Dublin. That matters because a calm-looking street in central Lafayette or downtown Walnut Creek can be a very different weather situation than exposed ridgelines, canyon roads, and the eastern edges of the county.
What Residents Should Do Now
PG&E says residents can check current planned and unplanned outages through its Outage Center, and its PSPS page says the address lookup is the most accurate way to check shutoff status.
The basic advice is simple: charge devices, avoid parking under large trees if possible, secure outdoor furniture and umbrellas, and do not assume a brief flicker means the danger has passed. Winds can shift quickly, and PG&E says outage timing and scope can change as weather changes.
PG&E also warns residents to stay away from downed power lines, avoid exiting a car or home near one, call 911, and then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
