San Diego

SDG&E Prepping Residents for Peak Fire Season

Devastating wildfire, it’s a looming threat for San Diego that can start at any moment. We've already seen a handful this year.

As San Diego enters the peak of fire season, San Diego Gas & Electric is looking to get ahead of the curve.

The utility company, along with local fire departments, is trying to get the public ready by letting them know about some of the resources available.

“No one agency can handle this alone,” SDG&E spokeswoman Allison Torres said. “We need to band together."

Poway was one of the communities devastated by fires in the past. Some residents there had their fire insurance policies canceled because the fire threat was so severe.

That was one the reasons SDG&E teamed up with the Poway Fire Department for a community forum Thursday at the Poway City Council Chambers to ensure residents know all the resources available to them heading into fire season.

“What's really important is learning how we're preparing. How we're monitoring weather conditions,” Torres said. “How we're collaborating with fire agencies and government agencies with community organizations that are doing whatever they can to protect our community.”

She said this is a group effort, a pooling of resources and knowledge from government agencies and private companies.

“We need to band together,” she said. “Not only do we monitor forecasts, we monitor the fuels, the vegetation. How dry are they? How it's impacting our own operations on delivering reliable power. But also we're sharing this information with fire agencies so they can make an educated decision on their own operations.”

Some of that information includes data from the Santa Ana Wildfire Index, a system that categorizes fire threat levels. The important thing the public needs to know when the threat level is elevated is how to prepare possible wildfires, Torres said.

“Are you checking if you have a kit? Are you making sure your pets are secure? Do you have a plan? Is your family aware of the plan? Are your documents ready in case you need to evacuate?” she said. “Those are the types of preparedness messages we're encouraging the public to think of in times like this since we're getting into the peak of wildfire season.”

SDG&E has established nine community resource centers in fire-prone areas so residents have a place to go for information and get their basic needs met during extended public safety power shutoffs.

The complete list, as well as wildfire safety information from SDG&E, is available by clicking here.

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