LOS ANGELES, CA – Southern California Edison may proactively shut off power on four Malibu circuits beginning at midnight Thursday, Oct. 15, to keep its equipment from starting fires during forecast Santa Ana winds, according to the City of Malibu.
The utility notified the city on Tuesday, Oct. 13, that the Cuthbert, Galahad, Maguire and Merlin circuits could be affected, the City of Malibu said in an alert published that day. The alert describes the shutoff as a possibility tied to forecast dangerous fire conditions.
The National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard issued a Red Flag Warning at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday. It takes effect at 6 a.m. Thursday and runs through 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
As of Tuesday afternoon, SCE’s website showed more than 37,700 Los Angeles County customers under consideration for shutoffs. No customers were without power under the program at that time.
Four Malibu circuits under consideration
The city said SCE may shut off power on the four circuits “to prevent its equipment from starting fires” starting at midnight Thursday. The alert ties the possible action to dangerous fire conditions in the forecast.
Planned public safety power shutoffs are designed to prevent downed electrical equipment from starting fires, the city said. The shutoff is a possibility, not a decision, and the city’s alert does not say that power has been cut.
Red Flag Warning runs through Friday night
The weather service’s warning covers the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including the Malibu Coast area. It runs from 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, through 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
The warning cites a high risk for extreme fire behavior with any new fire start on Thursday and Friday. Forecasters attribute that risk to Santa Ana winds and low relative humidity.
The city’s alert uses similar language. It says the weather service forecasts hot, dry conditions and Santa Ana winds from Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Friday, Oct. 16, with a high risk for extreme fire behavior with any new fire start.
Santa Ana winds forecast to peak Thursday and Friday
According to the weather service, moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will “quickly develop on Thursday, peak Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon, then weaken through the weekend.”
Winds are forecast from the northeast to east at 20 to 30 mph, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph. Relative humidity minimums are forecast at 5 to 15 percent in most valleys and coasts.
The city’s alert says mountain gusts could reach 70 mph. It says the strongest winds and the hottest temperatures, in the upper 80s and 90s, are expected Thursday and Friday.
The weather service also said dry air will settle over the region and dry out any helpful effects of the recent rains.
Restoration could take 8 hours or more
If power is cut, restoring it may take 8 or more hours after the winds subside, the city said. Crews must inspect the equipment before service returns.
The City of Malibu made the same point in a June 2025 advisory on shutoffs. That advisory says power will not be restored “until it is safe to do so, and infrastructure has been fully inspected.”
It also tells residents to prepare for outages of 8 hours or longer, depending on weather and fire danger. At that time, the city said SCE had already carried out three shutoff events in 2025.
City urges residents to prepare
The city’s alert advises residents to charge their devices, fuel their vehicles and review their evacuation routes before the winds arrive.
It says elderly and disabled residents and horse owners should consider leaving early. The alert gives no further instructions beyond those preparations.
Alerts available through city sign-up
The City of Malibu runs an alert center and a disaster notification sign-up for emergency and shutoff notifications. Residents can create a profile and add, delete or change the phone numbers or emails that receive alerts.
The city’s 2025 advisory also encourages residents to sign up for SCE’s alerts in addition to the city’s.
Shutoff decision still pending
Any shutoff would begin at midnight Thursday, Oct. 15, and the Red Flag Warning stays in effect until 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. SCE had not confirmed a shutoff for Malibu as of Tuesday, and the city’s alert describes it only as a possibility.
