When the mild days of spring are over and the hot days of summer begin to creep in, Cynthia Martinez, a Hayward senior who lives alone near the Hayward Hills, starts to sweat for more than one reason. If the discomfort of hot weather isn’t enough, the idea of possible wildfires and impending power outages turns up the heat on her anxiety. 

“I’m from San Francisco, where heat was never an issue,” Martinez says. “East Bay weather no doubt has been hard to adjust to. The house I live in isn’t very well insulated, so keeping cool during the summer is stressful. It doesn’t help that there’s a lot of vegetation behind my home, and I’m just a couple of blocks from the hills that are already looking dry.”   

Martinez relies on electricity to power medical equipment, making extended outages especially concerning. Like thousands of residents across the East Bay, Tri-Valley and Diablo Valley, she is paying close attention to this year’s wildfire outlook. 

The National Weather Service and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) are forecasting above-normal temperatures and an elevated wildfire risk for Northern California into the fall. 

During periods of extreme fire danger—including high winds, critically low humidity, Red Flag Warnings issued by the National Weather Service and on-the-ground observations by field crews—PG&E may implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). These temporary outages are intended to reduce the risk of power lines sparking fast-moving wildfires. 

“I’ve already heard loudspeaker warnings from the Sheriff’s Department about possible evacuation because of a wildfire nearby,” Martinez says. “I’m afraid of wildfires, but I’m scared to death of the idea of these power shutoffs.” 

She says she can’t even imagine being without power for a full day or longer, let alone evacuating with her little dog, Coco.

According to Evelyn Escalera, a PG&E communications spokesperson, households in High Fire Risk Areas should have an emergency plan before wildfire season intensifies. She also encouraged residents to check the utility's online progress map (pge.com/progressmap) to see whether they live in a high fire risk area and to review available preparedness resources.

Martinez lives in a primarily Latino neighborhood and says that while she doesn’t know many people there, she worries that some Spanish-speaking residents may not know where to turn for information during an emergency. 

Many Latino communities can feel especially vulnerable during wildfire events and power shutoffs. According to PG&E, the utility shares wildfire safety and emergency preparedness information through Spanish-language social media, radio stations, and ethnic media partners to help keep customers informed.

According to Escalera, more than 259,000 customers have selected Spanish as their preferred language, including nearly 16,000 customers in the East Bay division. 

What is a Public Safety Power Shutoff?

Not all power outages are PSPS events. Routine outages may occur because of equipment maintenance, accidents or high electricity demand during extreme heat and often last only a few hours. A PSPS, however, is a preventive measure that temporarily shuts off electricity in high-risk areas during dangerous weather conditions to reduce the chance of a wildfire. 

According to the utility, customers are typically notified one to two days before a planned PSPS whenever conditions allow. Customers can update their contact information at pge.com/alerts to receive notifications by phone, text or email. Tenants whose names are not on the PG&E account can also sign up for address-based alerts at pge.com/addressalerts.

During these events, customers can speak with a live agent, including assistance in Spanish, about outage-related needs. Residents can also dial 211, text “PREPARE” to 211-211, or visit pge.com/211 to connect with local resources such as temporary lodging, transportation, food assistance, health and safety programs, and backup power support. 

Community Resource Centers may provide charging stations for electronic devices and medical equipment, Wi-Fi, bottled water, snacks, air conditioning, accessible restrooms and other basic necessities. Many locations welcome service animals, and some are also pet-friendly.

According to company data, in 2025:
• Four PSPS events affected nearly 18,000 customers.
• More than 200 food vouchers were distributed.
• Eighty-six hotel stays and 44 transportation services were provided.
• Twenty-three Community Resource Centers were opened.
• More than 1.3 million customers received outage preparedness information.
• PG&E partnered with more than 250 community organizations.

As another wildfire season unfolds, Martinez says simply knowing what resources are available has eased some of her concerns.

“Honestly, now that I know about all the help that’s available during these shutdowns, I don’t feel quite as anxious or alone,” she says.

Brenda Cruz is a contributor to Visión Hispana. She writes about health, community and public service issues.