Update: SaddleRidge Fire Threatens Utilities for 233,000 Customers

Southern California Edison has cut off electricity to more than 21,000 customers in the greater L.A. area to prevent further damage from the Saddleridge Fire. The brush fire broke out in Sylmar and quickly raged out of control. It has burned more than 7,500 acres, damaged dozens of homes and is 13 percent contained. SoCal Edison’s public safety power shutoffs have affected customers in Palmdale, Simi Valley, Camarillo and elsewhere in Ventura County. The company is monitoring the fire’s spread and may add precautionary power shutoffs for more than 233,000 customers in communities including Sylmar, Chatsworth, San Fernando, Sunland, Tujunga, Newhall, Glendale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, Moorpark and elsewhere. The company is also working with California Independent System Operator to monitor transmission lines in at-risk areas, though none are down at the time of reporting. At the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Mission Hills Service Center is closed while Van Nuys and Winnetka service centers remain open. The fire caused power outages in Granada Hills and Sylmar, affecting about 2,500 customers. Additionally, two overhead circuits including 16 poles in Porter Ranch have been damaged and will need to be replaced. The Department reports 873 customers in mandatory evacuation zones in Porter Ranch without power as a result. As a precaution, LADWP grid operators shut off power along major transmission lines including a high voltage line running through Sylmar. The downed lines have caused no outages — electricity to power the local grid is coming from in-basin generation. SoCalGas evacuated its Aliso Canyon Gas Storage Facility as a preemptive measure, but there are no known leaks or damage to the facility at the time of reporting. L.A. Fire and L.A. County Fire have multiple fire engines and personnel fighting the fire around the Aliso Canyon facility, but the company does not anticipate damage to any storage wellheads. There are no gas shutoffs due to the Saddleridge Fire, but SoCalGas cut electrical service to two mobile home parks in Calimesa to mitigate damage from the Sandalwood fire in Riverside County. UPDATE: LADWP has restored power to nearly all Granada Hills customers whose services were interrupted Friday due to the fire. Just 21 customers remain without power, and crews are working in the area to make repairs, according to social media posts from the department.