California power shutoffs and outages left about 81,000 utility customers without electricity on October 15, 2026, as dry conditions and strong winds heightened wildfire risks. Pacific Gas and Electric began preventive shutoffs in Northern and Central California, while Southern California Edison reported additional outages across three counties.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 62,000 PG&E customers and another 19,000 Southern California Edison customers were without power.
- PG&E notified 90,000 customers of possible interruptions; that figure was not a count of completed shutoffs.
- A Malibu brush fire prompted the safe evacuation of 38 youths from Campus Vernon Kilpatrick.
Table of Contents
- California power shutoffs extend across multiple regions
- Fire weather keeps electricity service at risk
- Malibu fire forces juvenile facility evacuation
- Conclusion
California power shutoffs extend across multiple regions
Pacific Gas and Electric said nearly 62,000 customers across 26 counties in the Sierra Nevada foothills, wine country and Central Coast were without electricity on October 15. The utility began proactively switching off power on the evening of October 14.
Southern California Edison separately said 19,000 customers in Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura counties lost electricity on October 15. The figures count utility customers, not individual residents or students.
PG&E also said it had notified 90,000 customers across 29 counties that they could lose power, with potential interruptions continuing through the afternoon of October 17. Those notifications describe possible exposure rather than an additional 90,000 confirmed outages.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| PG&E outage footprint | 26 counties as of October 15 |
| PG&E notification footprint | 29 counties facing possible interruptions |
| Southern California Edison outage area | Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura counties |
| Potential PG&E interruption window | Through the afternoon of October 17 |
Fire weather keeps electricity service at risk
Utilities use preventive shutoffs during dry, windy conditions to reduce the risk of electrical equipment igniting fires. Some of California’s worst wildfires have been caused by power equipment, but the supplied information did not establish a cause for the Malibu fire.
The National Weather Service warned of a moderate-to-strong Santa Ana wind event. Winds in the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains were forecast at 20 to 40 mph, with gusts of 50 to 70 mph. The strongest winds were expected between the afternoons of October 15 and October 16.
A Red Flag Warning for mountainous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties was scheduled to remain in effect through the night of October 16, while broader fire-risk conditions were expected to continue into October 17. Los Angeles officials said firefighters and equipment were being positioned ahead of the winds.
Malibu fire forces juvenile facility evacuation
The brush fire began in the Encinal Canyon area near Campus Vernon Kilpatrick at about 4:40 p.m. on October 15 and had grown to roughly 200 acres by nightfall.
The Los Angeles County Probation Department’s October 15 evacuation statement confirmed that 38 female and gender-expansive youths were safely moved from the campus to Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall/SYTF in Sylmar because of the Bryson Canyon Fire.
The department said staff were available to support the youths and that parents and legal guardians were being notified directly. It said further updates would be issued as information became available.
Conclusion
The next scheduled milestone was the potential end of PG&E’s interruption window on the afternoon of October 17. That window did not establish a confirmed restoration time for every affected customer.
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