PTens of thousands of California residents could be left in the dark this weekend as PG&E considers preemptive power shutoffs to reduce wildfire risks from powerful winds sweeping parts of the state.

The utility announced Thursday that about 12,200 customers across 17 counties in Central and Northern California could lose electricity starting Friday, Oct. 9, through Monday, Oct. 12, as gusty winds and low humidity threaten to fuel fires.

Customers in affected areas have been notified about the potential Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), which are intended to reduce the risk of electrical equipment sparking a wildfire.

“With a forecast for gusty winds, low humidity and elevated fire danger, PG&E has initiated advanced customer notifications in targeted areas where Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) may be necessary to reduce wildfire risk,” the notice read.

“Weather forecasts call for strong westerly winds with gusts between 30 and 45 mph Saturday with peak winds of 55 mph across portions of the Northern Sierra, followed by north winds Sunday in the Sacramento Valley area.”

The potential outages could affect customers in Napa, Yolo, Tehama, Solano, Shasta, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Kings, Merced, Kern, San Joaquin, Alameda and San Benito counties.

PG&E said it does not take the decision to cut electricity lightly. With high temperatures still in the forecast for some communities, the utility said it was working with local areas to provide additional resources.

The National Weather Service in Sacramento on Thursday also warned about the increased risk of wildfires with north winds of 25-35 mph and low humidities, calling it “potential elevated fire conditions.”

In the San Joaquin Valley, northwest winds could gust up to 15 mph by Sunday night, according to the NWS.

The strongest gusts are expected Saturday across parts of the Northern Sierra, where winds could reach 35 to 55 mph, KRCR reported.

The power company said it will continue to monitor the weather conditions and provide updates to customers as the forecasts change.

A cool down is coming by early next week for the Central Valley and Northern California, with a change in pressure finally bringing some much needed relief to places that have been in the triple digits.

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