Los Angeles County could see power outages as Santa Ana winds hit Southern California

While millions in Northern California suffered through a massive power outage that began early Wednesday, residents in Southern California wondered whether they could see the same blackouts as officials deal with strong winds that could spark fires.

Southern California Edison said that, given the strong Santa Ana winds forecast for the area, power could be cut off to more than 173,000 customers in parts of nine counties.

The outage could affect customers in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as well as areas in Orange and Ventura counties and portions of Kern, Tulare, Inyo and Mono counties.

The Los Angeles Department of Power and Water has no plans to shut off power to residents in the city because L.A. is highly urbanized with fewer wildfire-prone areas and an “extensive fire suppression infrastructure,� according to the utility.

Robert Villegas, an Edison spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon that the utility was continuing to monitor weather conditions with ground crews before deciding whether to switch off the power. He said Edison could not predetermine where — or when — shutoffs might take place.

“There’s no real way to know when that will be,� Villegas said. “We’re all waiting on the weather.�

The utility will make decisions on a “circuit by circuit basis,� he said, with each circuit providing service to 10 to 50 customers.

The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for parts of Southern California.

San Diego Gas & Electric officials say the utility might have to temporarily shut off power to about 30,000 customers beginning Thursday.

“If we do turn off power, it will stay off until we can safely restore it,� the utility said in a statement.

SDG&E officials said they warned customers in fire-prone areas of the county about the potential preventive shutoffs, known as “Public Safety Power Shutoffs,� via outbound dialer calls, texts and emails Tuesday evening.

The mountains and valleys of San Diego County will be under a red flag warning from noon Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday with the expected arrival of Santa Ana winds.

Here are details for the potential Edison power interruptions.

Los Angeles County (about 49,439 customers)

• Lancaster
• Palmdale
• La Cañada Flintridge
• Malibu
• Pasadena
• Chatsworth
• San Fernando
• Santa Clarita
• Unincorporated areas including Acton, Agua Dulce, Boiling Point, White Heather, Sunland, Tujunga, La Crescenta, Montrose, Wildwood, Canyon Country, Newhall, Forest Park, Sleepy Valley, Del Valle, Leona Valley, Plum Canyon, Alpine, Merrie Dell, Indian Springs, Jumper Hills, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Mount Wilson, Valyermo, Paradise Springs, Humphreys, Placerita Canyon State Park, Little Rock, Pearblossom, Quartz Hill, Lake Hughes, Green Valley, Elizabeth Lake, Sylmar, Portal Ridge, Three Points, Upper Big Tujunga Canyon, and near Antelope Valley and unincorporated areas of Chatsworth and Sylmar
  

San Bernardino County (about 40,978 customers)

• Big Bear
• Calimesa
• Fontana
• Hesperia
• Rancho Cucamonga
• Rialto
• San Bernardino
• Yucaipa
• Yucca Valley
• Unincorporated areas, including the communities of Doble and Upper Holcomb Valley, Cajon Pass, Devore, Etiwanda, Lucerne Valley, Lytle Creek, Running Springs, Lake Arrowhead, Cedar Pines Park, Valley of Enchantment, Crestline, Valley View Park, Joshua Tree, Homestead Valley, Oak Hills, Muscoy, Green Valley Lake, Morongo Valley and unincorporated areas near Yucca Valley

Ventura County (about 23,139 customers)

• Fillmore
• Camarillo
• Simi Valley
• Santa Rosa Valley
• Ventura
• Unincorporated areas, including Sespe, Oak Village, north of Moorpark, Piru, Elkins Ranch Golf Course, Leesdale, north Fillmore, Santa Susana, Stauffer, Sycamore Canyon, Solromar, unincorporated areas near Piru and communities near Telegraph Road

Riverside County (about 21,366 customers)

• Banning
• Beaumont
• Calimesa
• Hemet
• San Jacinto
• Menifee
• Moreno Valley
• Perris
• Unincorporated Riverside County, including the communities of Whitewater and Bonnie Bell, Banning Pass, Cabazon, Owl, portions of Desert Hills Outlet Mall, North Palm Springs, Gilman Hot Springs, Lakeview, Nuevo, Mons, Mead Valley, Eden Hot Springs, Mountain Center, Good Hope and unincorporated areas near Beaumont and Banning

Orange County (about 7,250 customers)

• Rancho Santa Margarita
• Orange
• Unincorporated areas, including North Tustin

Kern County (about 19,313 customers)

• Tehachapi
• Unincorporated areas, including Frazier Park, Lake of the Woods, Pine Mountain Club, Bodfish, Kernville, Wofford Heights, Lake Isabella, Camp Owens, Lebec, Bear Valley Springs, Stallion Springs, Keene, Golden Hills, Sand Canyon, Alpine Forest, Manolith, Weldon, Bella Vista, Monolith, Onyx, Canebrake, and unincorporated areas of Walker Basin and Kernville

Mono County (about 13,963 customers)

• Mammoth Lakes
• Unincorporated areas near Bishop, including the community of Paradise and portion of Swall Meadows, Sunny Slopes, Mammoth Lakes (Trails, Core, North, Slopes), June Lake Village, Loop, Crestview, Mono Lake, Mono City, North Conway, Willow Springs, Bridgeport, Old Mammoth, Mammoth Lakes Basin, Lee Vining, Lee Vining Canyon, Falls Creek Tract and Bridgeport Valley to Twin Lakes

Inyo County (about 131 customers)

• Unincorporated areas near Bishop, including Aspendell and Round Valley

Tulare County (about 108 customers)

• Unincorporated areas, including Fairview and Johnsondale

Fry and Cosgrove are Times staff writers. Robbins writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. KTLA contributed to this report.