THIRD UPDATE: Outages in Humboldt County are now expected to impact around 3,000 customers and are likely to begin between midnight and 4 a.m. SECOND UPDATE: PG&E is planning to institute a Public Safety Power Shutoff in 22 counties due to a strong wind event forecast to hit around midnight, bringing increased wildfire risk, with […]
blackout
Posted inNews
Bridgeville Area in Scope for Monday Power Shutoff
The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services posted an announcement on its Facebook page warning that Humboldt is in scope for a potential power shutoff. “Due to high temperatures and related potential for wildfire, Humboldt County is in scope for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) beginning Monday, 9/7/2020,” starting around 10 p.m. Due to high […]
Posted inNews
Parts of Humboldt Going Off-Grid in ‘Islanding’ Test, Outages Possible
PG&E announced today it will conduct a test run of “islanding” the Humboldt County power plant Saturday morning. If successful, it would mark a significant step forward in isolating the region when Public Safety Power Shutoffs are needed in nearby counties. That, of course, was a major reason the county was plunged into darkness twice […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Blackout Soup
Looking back on the Darkpocalypse of October 2019, I found my household was ill-prepared for this type of event, not to mention any greater potential disaster. Yes, it’s on my to-do list now to gather our supplies, stock appropriate emergency provisions and generally be more prepared. But here’s the thing: I’m fortunate to have this […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Blackouts and Enchanted Gardens
Here on the home farm, we used October’s electricity-free hours to get ahead of winter gardening chores. Our clover cover crop has successfully germinated and the leaves on the apple trees and blueberries are turning lovely shades of yellow and crimson. We carefully stacked firewood, cleared out the summer vegetables and got out the barrels […]
Posted inNews
North Coast Night Lights: Lights Out in Eureka During the PSPS of 10/27/19
When the PG&G Public Safety Power Shutoff of Oct. 27 cast its shadow on Humboldt County, the chance to explore Eureka in light of the unusual darkness was irresistible. Just 16 days earlier I’d had the opportunity to traipse around a darkened Arcata and capture some unusual images of the city under the light of […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Save the Date: PG&E Blackout Reveal Parties
Last month’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs in Humboldt County taught all of us here at PG&E a number of valuable lessons. First and foremost was that our communication flow with local government and law enforcement agencies, as well as media, was nearly as Byzantine and mysterious as the power grid we refuse to show you. […]
Posted inNews
A Communications ClusterKerfuffle
It was about 4:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, when, just hours removed from a PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff that had cut power to the entirety of Humboldt County for about 36 hours, the county Office of Emergency Services sent out an alert. “PG&E advises that ALL customers in Humboldt County will lose power […]
Posted inEat + Drink
When Restaurants Go Dark
It hasn’t been an easy year for restaurants in Humboldt County. Ask managers and owners how it’s going and you’ll likely hear that profits are down in the already risky business. Plenty of them will tell you the tightened margins of legal cannabis is part of it but pretty much all of them will also […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
Crossed Lines
Imagine police are responding to a report of a man with a gun. Three officers pull up to find the man standing on a sidewalk. They all exit their patrol cars, raise their firearms, holding the man at gunpoint, and simultaneously begin shouting orders. “Hands up!” says one. “Get down on the ground,” yells another. […]
Posted inNews
New City Manager, Emergency Declaration on Eureka Agenda
The Eureka City Council will consider Tuesday formally appointing Dean Lotter as city manager, with a $170,000 annual salary and other benefits. Currently the city manager of New Brighton, Minnesota, the council selected Lotter to replace Greg Sparks, who is set to retire next month, from a pool 40 and five finalists who came to Eureka […]
Posted inLetters + Opinion
In the Dark and On Our Own
Well, that new normal sure hit quick, huh? The Public Safety Power Shutoffs, which first swept over Humboldt County with minimal notice when it was thrust into 28 hours of darkness Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, came back with a vengeance less than three weeks later. In an effort to keep its woefully neglected infrastructure […]