Wildfire safety

It is important that we have your current contact information so you can be notified when a potential PSPS could impact your home or business. Visit the PSPS alerts page or call 1-866-743-6589 to update your contact information.

Even if you do not have a PG&E account, you can sign up to receive alerts about a potential PSPS at any address that is important to you or a loved one. These alerts are available in multiple languages by call or text.

PG&E conducts online webinars for anyone interested in learning more about our Community Wildfire Safety Program. These virtual gatherings allow community members to learn more about wildfire safety and emergency preparedness, meet with PG&E representatives, ask questions and share feedback. View the webinar schedule and previous webinar presentations.

Learn more about what to expect, how to prepare and the support services that are available before, during and after a PSPS. Learn about PSPS.

We know that losing power disrupts lives. That is why PSPS is only used as a tool of last resort. We encourage you to prepare for outages that could last several days. Prepare for a PSPS .

To further reduce wildfire risk and protect customers, we've adjusted the sensitivity of some of our equipment in High Fire-Threat Districts (HFTD). These Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) will automatically turn off the flow of electricity faster if a foreign object contacts an energized line or there is an issue with the equipment. This enhanced safety measure is due to the unprecedented drought and extremely dry conditions. These settings will be used when wildfire potential is the greatest, usually in late summer and fall.

This adjustment makes the electric system safer and further minimizes wildfire risks. It may also result in more frequent, longer-duration power outages. That is because we must patrol the entire circuit to ensure there are no incidents of damage or hazards present. If necessary, our crews will perform any repairs prior to restoring power. Patrols are conducted either on the ground or in the air. In some cases, you may see helicopters performing aerial patrols.

NOTE: If a powerline is on your property, we may need access in order to restore power. Please allow our technicians access to patrol. The sooner they can patrol, the sooner we can restore power.

We recognize the hardship these outages cause our customers and are working hard to:

• Notify customers when an EPSS outage has occurred and when they can expect power to be restored.
• Leverage ground and air patrols for quicker restoration times.
• Respond to all outages in HFTD areas as quickly and safely as possible.
• Further optimize device sensitivity and other related settings to minimize the size and duration of outages.
• Improve resources available to customers experiencing outages related to these adjusted settings.

Outages that result from the enhanced safety settings are not Public Safety Power Shutoffs and they are not planned. It is not possible to provide customers or communities with advance notice because our equipment is reacting to a potential safety issue. This is why it is important to be prepared for a potential power outage, as they could happen at any time and for an unknown duration. For emergency preparedness tips and sample emergency plans, visit the Safety Action Center.

PG&E's Medical Baseline Program is an assistance program for residential customers who need energy for certain medical needs. The program includes additional energy at a lower rate and extra notifications, including phone calls or doorbell rings before a PSPS. Apply for the Medical Baseline Program online or by calling 1-800-743-5000.

Self-certify for Vulnerable Customer Status if you or someone in your household has a serious illness or condition that could be life threatening if electric or gas service is disconnected. Those who self-identify for Vulnerable Customer Status will receive an in-person visit before power is disconnected, whether PSPS or nonpayment. To apply, visit pge.com/vcstatus.

We encourage all customers to plan for an emergency and to be prepared for any extended outages due to extreme weather or natural disasters. To help you plan, PG&E provides information about backup power solutions, how to purchase them and how to operate them safely. Learn more about backup power.

California, Oregon and Washington, along with several other western states, continue to experience an increase in wildfire risk and a longer wildfire season. Find out everything we are doing to evolve our Community Wildfire Safety Program to strengthen and improve our electric system for the safety of our customers and communities. Learn more about the Community Wildfire Safety Program. 

Learn about consumer protections including financial support and how to begin the rebuilding process at Wildfire Recovery Support.