LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Just in time for Thanksgiving, Southern California Edison is considering shutting off power to more than 73,000 customers as forecasts call for increased fire danger on the holiday.
The utility's Public Safety Power Shutoff program is designed to lower the risk of fires caused by damage to electrical equipment when strong winds are expected.
Edison said it is monitoring conditions for a possible shutdown starting around noon on Thanksgiving Day until 3 p.m. Friday.
A map of communities from Oxnard to Banning that could be affected is available here.
The National Weather Service says fire weather watches took effect Tuesday afternoon in many communities throughout Southern California and are expected to last through Friday night. Strong Santa Ana winds are expected, with possible gusts of 35 mph to 45 mph, although temperatures will remain in the 60s.
SCE has 5 million customers in the region. Here's how many could be affected by county if the power is shut off:
"Turning off our customers' power is not something we take lightly, but PSPS events are one of the ways we can better ensure the safety of the public, our customers, and our employees," SCE says on its website.
SCE customers can
sign up for alertsto let them know if the power will be shut off.
Some of the largest, most devastating wildfires in California history have been linked to electrical equipment.
Bobcat Fire possibly caused by tree branches hitting SoCal Edison equipmentEasy Fire: SoCal Edison equipment failure caused blaze that burned 1,860 acres in Ventura CountySilverado Fire: SCE equipment under investigation as a possible source
Copyright © 2020 KABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.