Batten Down the Hatches: PG&E and Emergency Services Prepare for Big Wind

Are you ready?

PG&E is preparing for strong winds that are expected to hit the Bay Area over the next two days.

The utility is anticipating some power outages if the wind storm produces the 60 m.p.h. gusts that weather forecasters are predicting, PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning for the Bay Area that will be in effect for 7 a.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday as a dry weather system moves through the region, weather service forecaster Duane Dykema said.

"It's not really what most people would consider a 'storm,'" Dykema said this morning. He said rain is not expected but that gusts of 60 to 70 mph are anticipated at higher elevations, with gusts of 40 to 45 mph in lower-lying areas, Dykema said.

"It's going to be really blustery almost everywhere," he said.

Sarkissian said PG&E spends more than $180 million annually to inspect more than 130,000 miles of power lines in its service area from Eureka to Bakersfield to make sure they are safe.

Although the utility focuses in particular on trimming unhealthy tree limbs that overhang power lines, it also monitors healthy limbs that pose a threat, she said.

Of the power outages in PG&E's service area, 13 percent are caused by tree limbs that fall onto power lines. Of those, 90 percent are caused by healthy tree branches, she said.

CalFire engineer John Peery, who is assigned to the Corralitos CalFire station at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, had some advice about downed power lines.

Perry said people should always assume the power lines are live and therefore dangerous. The smart thing to do is call 911 and wait for an expert to check it out. 

What folks may not know that a generator can back-feed a fallen power line, so even if it's sheered off from the main power source, it could still be live “and can actually electrocute you," Peery said.

If a power line falls on your car, stay inside and call 911. Wait for help, the firefighter advised.

Falling trees are also dangerous. Let fire crews come out to deal with blocked roads or branches hanging low due to wind gusts.

“With trees a lot of people assume you can just drive underneath them but with high winds you never know what may happen next," Peery said. “It’s pretty common sense."

Customers reporting power outages can call PG&E at (800) 743-5002. People who encounter a downed power line should assume it is live, keep a safe distance away, and call 911 and PG&E, Sarkissian said.

And, if you want to share photos, as Los Altos Hills resident of this downed eucalyptus tree blocking Robleda Road, please feel free to upload here.

—Bay City News contributed to this report