10:00 am Update: PG&E Power Shutoff Remains Underway in Oakland About 48,000 Oakland Residents and Businesses Impacted
Oakland, CA – PG&E’s power shutoff went into effect in parts of Oakland at approximately 10:50 pm last night, primarily above MacArthur Boulevard between Fruitvale and 106th Avenue, and along the Skyline/Grizzly Peak corridor. According to PG&E, approximately 16,000 customer meters in Oakland were impacted by the shutoff and remain without power (loosely, that equates to approximately 48,000 Oakland residents impacted).
PG&E confirmed this morning that all power shutoffs are complete. It will begin the process to inspect the system and restore power, which they say could still take several days. Each county will be notified when this process begins in that area.
The Red Flag Warning is scheduled to be in effect until 5 pm today and the High Wind Advisory remains in effect until 3 pm today.
The City’s Emergency Operations Center remains operational, and the Oakland Fire Department remains on high alert given extremely hazardous fire conditions. In addition to their normal operations, firefighters have continued to conduct roving fire patrols in the Oakland hills. These resources augment the department’s normal hill company patrols that are out during high fire danger.
Overnight, the Oakland Fire Department (OFD) was notified of the Merrill Fire in Moraga, CA. Fire personnel monitored the event closely both on scene in Moraga and from Oakland’s Emergency Operations Center, keeping officials appraised of any developments. As of 5AM, the fire in Moraga was 70% contained, and not deemed to be a threat to Oakland residents.
Throughout the night, Police officers and staff from the Department of Transportation deployed additional neighborhood patrols and relayed information to dispatch regarding street light outages. Engineers were promptly deployed to those locations to assess the infrastructure issues and provide traffic safety support at key intersections where signals were out. About 80 signalized intersections remain without power and should be treated as an all-way stop.
OPD dispatch did not experience an increase in calls for service, and no crimes or collisions were reported in connection with the power shutoff overnight. The Oakland Fire Department also did not experience an increase in shutoff-related service calls.
PG&E anticipates that the weather conditions leading to the Public Safety Power Shutdown will subside by 12 noon today. However, they advise that the process to re-energize the lines could still take up to several days, depending on how long it takes for their crews to inspect the system, the level of damage caused by high winds, and the extent of repairs required. The decision to turn off power, and the speed at which it is restored, is planned and managed solely by PG&E.
City of Oakland Facility and Program Impacts
Park Closures & Restrictions Joaquin Miller Park is closed to the public on Red Flag days. Signs will be posted at all park entrances and trails regarding the closure. Barbeques and fires are prohibited in all City parks on Red Flag days. Recreation Center Closures The following facilities will be closed until facility power is restored and the Red Flag Waring is lifted:
• Dimond Recreation Center & Lions Pool • East Oakland Sports Center • Redwood Heights Recreation Center • Sheffield Village Recreation Center • Montclair Recreation Center • Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate • Joaquin Miller Community Center • Leona Lodge • Sequoia Lodge
Head Start Site Closures The following City of Oakland Head Start sites will be closed until facility power is restored: • Tassafaronga (975 85th Ave., Oakland, CA 94621) • Cosmopolitan (988 85th Ave., Oakland, CA 94621) • Brookfield (401 Jones Ave., Oakland, CA 94603) • 85th Avenue (8501 International Blvd., Oakland, CA 94621) • Lion Creek (6818 Lion Way, # 110 Oakland, CA 94621)
For more Head Start information, please call (510) 238-3165. All enrolled families at these sites have been notified.
Oakland Public Library Closures Two Oakland Public Library branches—Montclair and Dimond—lost power last night and will remain closed until power is restored. All other branches are expected to open today.
For updates go to www.oaklandlibrary.org. Other Impacts
Oakland Unified School District Closures
• Fruitvale • Grass Valley • Howard • Montclair • Sequoia • Elmhurst United • Rudsdale Continuation • Skyline • Sojourner Truth
Alameda County Social Services Facility Closures in Oakland • Eastmont (6955 Foothill Blvd #100 and #143, Oakland, CA 94605) • Enterprise: (8477 Enterprise Way, Oakland, CA 94621) Key Phone Numbers for Assistance • Only call 911 for life-threatening situations requiring immediate attention • Call 311 or (510) 615-5566 for City maintenance issues such as a fallen tree or blocked street • Call 211 for critical human services information regarding emergency shelters, disaster relief services, assistance with temporary housing, and other basic social needs.
Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Always keep meat, poultry, fish, and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 °F and frozen food at or below 0 °F. This may be difficult when the power is out. So, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time.
Please check www.oaklandca.gov/firesafety for ongoing updates.
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