Mon Jan 20 21:50:00 UTC 2025: ## San Diego Gas & Electric Preemptively Shuts Off Power Amid High Winds, Drought

**SAN DIEGO, CA** – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) initiated power shutoffs Monday in San Diego County’s backcountry to mitigate wildfire risks fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and severe drought conditions. By 1:45 p.m., 932 customers were without power, with another 82,693 facing potential outages. The outages primarily affected areas including Boulevard, Descanso, Campo, and Warner Springs.

The preventative measure comes as firefighters battled a 2-acre wildfire in Poway. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning, predicting gusts of 40-60 mph in mountain and foothill areas, with potential gusts exceeding 80 mph in wind-prone locations. These powerful winds, forecast to persist through Tuesday evening, mark the third major windstorm this month. A weaker storm is anticipated Thursday and Friday, with a chance of rain next weekend.

Wind speeds Monday reached 50 mph in some areas, impacting travel conditions and posing a significant threat of widespread tree damage, particularly along major roadways like I-8, SR-76, SR-78, and portions of I-15. The winds have even reached coastal areas like Del Mar, Carlsbad, and Oceanside.

The ongoing drought is exacerbating the wildfire risk. San Diego International Airport has recorded only 0.14 inches of rain since October 1st, significantly below the normal rainfall and marking the driest rainy season since 1850. SDG&E is deploying crews to monitor conditions and utilizing the UC San Diego AlertCalifornia network’s 134 wildfire cameras for early detection. Authorities are particularly concerned about the potential for flash fires in the backcountry spreading toward populated areas.

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