PG&E not likely to shut off power in North Bay Monday

PG&E on Monday afternoon said it no longer projects the need for a public safety power shutoff later in the day to prevent wildfires in Sonoma, Napa and Lake counties.

The utility company had warned of a possible power shutoff that would have affected 33,000 customers in Sonoma County and 10,500 in Napa County.

Customers were advised to prepare for the possibility of a power shutoff to prevent wildfires from 8 p.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday, but the utility company said it would make a decision by late morning Monday whether to do so.

PG&E said it will closely monitor the weather Monday night and again Tuesday for a potential public safety power shutoff.

Sonoma County officials earlier Monday had declared a state of emergency in an abundance of caution in the event that PG&E shut off power. The National Weather Service on Sunday issued a red flag fire weather danger warning from 9 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Wednesday in anticipation of a rapid increase in temperatures from Monday into Tuesday. The warning applies to the North Bay mountains and East Bay hills including the Diablo Range, for locations at 1,000 feet elevation and higher, meteorologist Roger Gass said.