California Power Outages: Why They Happen and How to Prepare
Why does California keep losing power, and what can homeowners do about it?
California's planned outages are mostly Public Safety Power Shutoffs — utilities cut electricity during high winds and extreme fire weather so power lines can't spark a wildfire. They lower one wildfire risk, but they also create real hardship. The practical move for homeowners is to prepare ahead: backup power, a plan for anyone on medical equipment, and outage alerts from your utility.
By Rachael Smith | July 15, 2026
Every year in California, we seem to have the exact same conversation.
The forecast starts mentioning high wind. A red flag warning gets issued. People rush to charge their phones — and then the power goes out.
If you live anywhere from San Diego to Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, or up here in the mountain communities like Big Bear, you've probably lived through a planned power outage. The reason is almost always the same: wildfire prevention. Utilities call these Public Safety Power Shutoffs, or PSPS.
The idea behind a shutoff is simple. If electricity isn't flowing through the lines during a dangerous wind event, those lines can't spark a fire. On the surface, that makes sense. But the bigger question worth asking is: are these planned outages actually working? Watch Rachael frame the question at 0:47.
The case for shutting off the power
California has some of the most dangerous wildfire conditions in the country — low humidity, dry vegetation, and strong Santa Ana winds. One broken branch hitting a power line can create a spark, and under the right conditions that spark can turn into a fire that destroys thousands of acres.
We've seen entire communities devastated. Lives lost. Billions in property damage.
Shutting off power during extreme weather removes one possible ignition source. There's real evidence that planned shutoffs reduce the risk of fires started by electrical equipment during high-risk weather. Rachael explains how PSPS works at 0:32. That's a legitimate public safety argument.
But that's only one side of the story.
What actually happens when the lights go out
Once the power is off, the costs pile up fast:
- Restaurants lose thousands of dollars in spoiled food
- Gas stations can't always pump fuel
- Traffic lights stop working
- Businesses close and remote workers lose internet
- Students lose access to online learning
For many families, it's far more than an inconvenience — it's a disruption to everyday life.
And then there are the people who rely on electricity just to stay healthy. Think about someone who depends on an oxygen concentrator, a CPAP machine, home dialysis, a powered wheelchair, a medical bed, or refrigerated medications like insulin. For those households, a planned outage isn't frustrating — it can become a medical emergency.
Some people qualify for a utility medical baseline program or can afford backup batteries. Many can't. And not every outage lasts a couple of hours. That raises a hard question: how do we protect whole communities from wildfire while also protecting the people who literally depend on power to survive?
Want more Big Bear real estate and mountain-living insights like this? Rachael breaks down the local market, home-buying strategy, and what it's really like to own a home in fire country every week on her YouTube channel. Subscribe here so you never miss an update.
How Big Bear homeowners are preparing
Because of these outages, more homeowners across California are buying backup power. Some install whole-home standby generators. Others invest in battery systems like a Tesla Powerwall. For a lot of families, backup power has stopped being a luxury and become part of the household budget.
If you're weighing your options, keep the trade-offs honest:
- Portable generators are the cheapest entry point, but they have to be operated correctly. Every year there are fires from improper use, and carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious danger when they run too close to a home or garage.
- Whole-home standby generators are convenient but cost thousands of dollars installed.
- Battery backup systems are cleaner and quieter, and pair well with solar — but they aren't cheap either.
Backup power makes a community more resilient. It also shifts more cost and responsibility onto individual homeowners — which is worth thinking about before you buy a mountain home. If you're weighing a purchase up here, my guide to buying a mountain cabin in Big Bear City covers the practical ownership costs most buyers underestimate, and what to know about Big Bear A-frame homes walks through construction quirks that matter in our climate.
The questions Big Bear keeps asking
Here in Big Bear, one event really made people stop and think. Last year, during a planned outage, a fire started while the power was already off. From what was publicly reported, it wasn't caused by energized lines. That doesn't mean shutoffs don't reduce risk — but it's a reminder that removing one ignition source doesn't eliminate every cause of fire. Wildfire prevention is bigger than flipping a switch.
Why not just bury the power lines? It's a fair question. Underground lines are far less vulnerable to wind, but California has hundreds of thousands of miles of infrastructure, and undergrounding is incredibly expensive. In mountain terrain — rock, steep slopes, forest, and snow — it gets even harder and costlier. Underground systems aren't perfect either: flooding, earthquakes, and longer repair times all come with the territory.
Utilities are making improvements — stronger poles, covered conductors, weather stations, drone inspections, vegetation management, cameras and sensors. All of it is meant to reduce wildfire risk and, eventually, the need for widespread shutoffs. We're clearly not there yet.
There's also the cost conversation. Many homeowners have watched their electric bills climb and asked a reasonable question: if my rates keep going up, why does my service feel less reliable? Bear Valley Electric, like utilities across the state, has invested heavily in wildfire mitigation. Those projects cost money. From a homeowner's seat it can feel like your electric bill goes up, your insurance goes up, you're expected to clear defensible space, you may buy a generator — and you can still lose power on the highest fire-danger days.
So are planned outages working?
The honest answer is probably in some ways, and maybe not enough in others.
They likely reduce utility-caused fires during the most dangerous weather. They also create hardship for families, businesses, and medically vulnerable residents — and they've pushed more people toward backup power and raised real questions about affordability.
With a longer fire season, more extreme heat, and less predictable wind events, PSPS events will likely stay part of life in California until the grid catches up. The better question may not be whether we have planned outages, but how we keep reducing wildfire risk while making life more reliable and affordable for the people who live here.
If you're thinking about buying, selling, or investing in Big Bear, understanding how fire risk, insurance, and utility reliability shape the market is a huge part of making a smart decision — and it's exactly the kind of thing I dig into every week. Subscribe to the channel for weekly Big Bear market updates, buying and selling tips, and honest takes on mountain living. And if you want to talk through a specific property, I'm here to help.
About Rachael Smith
Rachael Smith is a top-producing real estate agent with RE/MAX Big Bear, specializing in mountain homes, short-term rental investments, and luxury properties in Big Bear Lake and surrounding areas. With over a decade of experience and hundreds of homes sold, she helps buyers, sellers, and investors make smart, strategic real estate decisions. Through her strong online presence and data-driven approach, Rachael connects clients with opportunities both on and off the market.
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