1 Wildfire Safety & PSPS
Preparedness
Chula Vista City Council Meeting
October 7, 2025
2 2025 Wildfire Season Forecast
33 Wildfire Safety (Section 6(a))
Focus: Provide data and information to assist City in its public safety efforts • SDG&E continues to shares the best available fire science, situational awareness and fire suppression tools by:
• Providing access to all weather station data through websites and GIS links • Providing all members of SD Fire and Rescue with the daily Fire Potential Index to support operations • Expanding the weather network to monitor fire danger in coastal canyons in the city • Working with San Diego Fire and Rescue, SDG&E added a fuel moisture sensor in Mission Valley • Deploying drone inspection programs of all infrastructure near coastal canyons to mitigate wildfire risk • Sharing intel on highest risk areas to inform and help prioritize undergrounding efforts in the city • Collaborating with City EOC and sharing best practices • Firefighting aircraft has responded to wildfires within city limits:
Safe Energy Collaboration
Date Fire Gallons
Dropped
Acres
1/20/25 Ted Williams Fire
(Pomerado Rd)
4,250 3
1/21/25 Friars Fire (Mission
Valley)
3,400 2.5
8/1/25 Bernardo Fire 7,167 13
44 2024-2025 Water Year So Far
Inland areas of California have had a warmer
than average year
Cooler ocean temperatures have kept coastal
California near to slightly below normal
State split with a very wet winter for
northern California and very dry for
southern California
Monsoon precipitation has been a
nothingburger so far this summer
55 2025 Drought Status
Last Year’s Drought Conditions Current Drought Conditions Western US: 22% designated moderate drought or higher
California: 1% designated moderate drought or higher
Western US: 64% designated moderate drought or higher
California: 39% designated moderate drought or higher
A delayed and very dry winter has brought Extreme Drought to southern California & the SW US Limited summer precipitation has only worsened drought for much of the west Long range models indicate potential for another dry start to winter
66 Seasonal Outlook
NOAA has indicated chances for above normal
temperatures across the interior western US
NOAA has indicated equal chances for above or
below normal precipitation for the area
77 2025 Fire Season Outlook
Large Fire Potential: Above-Normal inland
this Sept, then territory-wide for rest of 2025
Fuel Moisture: Grasses are fully cured and
receptive to ignition/spread. Live fuel
moistures in brush species are critically dry.
FPI Outlook: Elevated conditions inland are
expected to continue until the onset of late-fall
/ early-winter rain. Elevated conditions for
coastal districts are possible with any heat
waves. Extreme FPI will be possible this fall
with any Santa Ana wind events.
8 Public Safety Power Shutoff Protocols
9 PSPS Program
Activation Criteria
• Officer-in-Charge makes decision based on:
• Fire Conditions
• Weather Conditions
• Wildfire activity in the region
• Availability of firefighting resources
• Reports from emergency responders
Mon
11/12
Tue
11/13
Wed
11/14
Thu
11/15
Fri
11/16
Sat
11/17
Sun
11/18
ME Extreme
16 Extreme
16 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 RA Extreme
16 Extreme
16 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 EA Extreme
16 Extreme
16 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 NE Extreme
16 Extreme
16 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 OC Extreme
15 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
12 Elevated
12 NC Extreme
15 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 Elevated
12 Elevated
12 BC Extreme
15 Extreme
15 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 Elevated
12 Elevated
12 CM Elevated
14 Elevated
14 Elevated
14 Elevated
13 Elevated
13 Elevated
12 Elevated
12 1010
PSPS Process
7-10
days
ahead
Monitor fire risk
and potential
impacts;
begin internal
communications
Refine weather
forecast and
wildfire
potential
accordingly
Continue to refine
weather; begin to
notify customers
and public safety
partners who
could be affected
Continue to monitor
weather conditions;
communicate with
communities and
coordinate with first
responders
Leverage real-time
data to support
operations;
notify affected
communities and
partners
Inspect overhead
power lines;
notify customers
of progress and
completion
Period of concern
has passed; resume
normal operations
4-6
days
ahead
2-3
days
ahead
1 day
ahead
Power
Off
Power
On
Close
Event
11 Critical Customer Notifications
11 Notifications
• Text, Voice and/or Email
• PSPS App “SDGE Alerts”
• Announce PSPS outage, opening of Community Resource Center(s), re-energization Content
• Escalating conditions language aligned with National Weather Service • In-message link to resources provided
• Directly associate PSPS to wildfire prevention
• Refined annually – customer, public safety and community partner feedback Uniform Communication Across Diverse Platforms
• Social Media, SDG&E website, SDGE Today, Broadcast Media, • Broadcast media outreach (real-time updates and general awareness messaging) • In-Community mobile road signs, community marquees and flyers • Message amplification by 211 and other CBOs
• Residential notifications:
− sdge.com/notifications – sign up for notifications/download PSPS app − Available in 22 prevalent languages and American Sign Language 12 Notification Timeline
1313
PSPS Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Support Services • 11 facilities in the HFTD
• Provides a local center for impacted customers to receive support and resiliency items, with a focus on AFN
Community Resource Centers
• Partnerships with Southern Indian Health Council (SIHC) and Indian Health Council (IHC)
• Provides resiliency items and resources
Tribal Partnerships
• Partnerships with 211 San Diego/OC United Way
• Connects customers to resources and direct support from 1,000+ orgs, 24/7/365, over 200 languages
Centralized Resource Hub
• Collaborate with San Diego County Sheriff's Office to educate employees; raise awareness
Blue Envelope Program
• Partnership with local paratransit agency (FACT)
• Provides accessible transportation to customers’ location of choice, including CRCs
Transportation
• Partnership with Salvation Army
• Provides no-cost hotel stays if staying in place is not an option (SDG&E may provide a backup battery)
Hotel Stays
• Partnerships with local CERTS and YANA
• Provide wellness checks to individuals with AFN who may need additional support
Wellness Checks
• ~50 CBOs within SDG&E’s Energy Solutions Partner
Network
• Amplified PSPS notifications to expand reach in HFTD
Community Engagement
14 PSPS Mitigation
15 PSPS Mitigation Strategies
Objective: Prevent ignitions during high-fire weather and minimize PSPS impact Grid Hardening
Situational Awareness
Risk Analytics
Customer Resiliency
Strategic Undergrounding Program
PSPS Sectionalizing Enhancement Program
Covered Conductor
216 weather stations with 30-second
read capabilities
WiNGS-Ops for automated visibility
and decision-making
Generator and battery storage programs
Emergency backup battery delivery
Microgrids
16 Thank you!
Visit SDGE.com/PSPS for more information