After nearly two weeks of battling destructive wildfires fueled by incredibly high winds, it seems California is finally catching a bit of a break. And it couldn’t come at a better time. In just ten days, over 90,000 acres have burned; around 115 structures have been damaged or destroyed; and lucrative citrus and avocado crops have been at significant risk. Presently, people are returning to their homes and businesses (or what’s left of them) after large-scale evacuations throughout the state. The question is, how long can they stay?

Dry and warm weather conditions are keeping the risk of wildfire high. The National Weather Service is forecasting the Santa Ana winds to kick up again, especially in Southern California, by next weekend. And, even more planned power outages are anticipated as a safety precaution.

With so many now wondering if they too will be affected by the wildfires or these preventative measures, it’s definitely best to err on the side of caution. That means being prepared to go without power for days at a time. The following sources of information may prove useful as you ready your home, your business, and yourself for what may, unfortunately, lie just ahead.

https://www.ready.gov/power-outages

https://www.energy.gov/ceser/community-guidelines-energy-emergencies

https://www.pge.com/en_US/residential/outages/alerts/alerts.page?WT.mc_id=Vanity_outagealerts

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1527865875064-7a5a439a4714d4bb8d553294e0023d2b/PowerOutage_May2018.pdf

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/images/161542