MORE, LONGER SCE PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUTOFFS (PSPS) ARE EXPECTED FOR MALIBU THIS YEAR
Southern California Edison (SCE) announced that communities in Southern California, including Malibu, should prepare for more, longer-lasting PSPSs this year. With wildfire conditions intensifying across the region — driven by unusually dry vegetation and high temperatures — SCE has already initiated three PSPSs in 2025 and expects more may be necessary as the season progresses. Although the recent Franklin and Palisades Fires have cleared much of the flammable vegetation in parts of eastern Malibu, there is still a risk of new fires this season. Especially during periods of hot, dry Santa Ana winds and dry fuels, the potential for fires that could impact lives and homes remains.
Residents are encouraged to stay prepared through the October to December fire season. Residents should be prepared for extended outages, which could last 8 hours or more, depending on weather and fire danger levels. Power will not be restored until it is safe to do so, and infrastructure has been fully inspected. Preparedness is key, as power outages will continue to be a challenge we face in wildfire season, one that compounds the dangers that fires pose.
Tips
- Sign up for alerts from SCE and City of Malibu.
- Monitor alerts and local news, especially AM/FM radio using car or portable radios, which will work during power outages.
- Malibu’s 99.1 FM KBUU now has expanded coverage, so residents should tune to 99.1 FM to hear the latest news updates during a PSPS.
- Keep phones and tablets charged in advance of potential outages.
- Invest in a backup power system.
- Include refrigerated medications in your emergency supplies and plans.
- Invest in a good cooler and cold packs to keep in the freezer to store perishables, and purchase ice before the power goes out.
- Know how to manually open electric gates and garage doors when the power is out. For more tips visit SCE's power outage preparedness webpage.