SCE Power Shutoff Warning in Lake Arrowhead: What to Do in the Next 24 Hours

Earlier this month, BVES in Big Bear posted that Southern California Edison had warned of a possible Public Safety Power Shutoff for the lines serving Big Bear on Saturday, October 10, with a period of concern running 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. due to high winds and fire conditions. Warnings like that come and go, and many never turn into outages. The point is to be ready before the next one, not during it.



What we know, and what we don't

BVES's notice was about the SCE transmission lines that feed Big Bear. PSPS decisions are made circuit by circuit, so Lake Arrowhead's status depends on the specific lines serving your address and the conditions along them. Any time a warning goes out for the mountains, you can check your own address in about five minutes.

Check your address first

• Update your contact info and sign up for alerts at sce.com/pspsalerts. SCE notifies customers on circuits in scope by phone, text, or email, and it can only reach you at the numbers it has.
• Look at SCE's 7-day PSPS forecast to see whether the days ahead show any potential for your area.
• Bookmark the outage map at sce.com/outagemap, and sign up for San Bernardino County's TENS alerts, which the county's emergency services office recommends for high-wind events.

Your 24-hour checklist

• Charge everything that matters: phones, power banks, laptops, and any medical device batteries.
• Test your generator, under load, if you have one. A generator that starts in the driveway can still fail to power your panel if the transfer switch or connections haven't been checked recently. See our backup generator guide.
• Know your garage door's manual release, so a dead opener doesn't trap a car inside.
• Prepare the fridge's cold zone: freeze water bottles to keep the freezer cold, and keep a cooler and ice handy.
• Have light that isn't a candle: flashlights or battery lanterns, since open flames and wind-driven fire weather don't mix.
• Keep your car's tank full, and charge an EV if you have one.
• Set the thermostat and wood stove plan: know how you'll stay warm if the electric heat goes out, and never use a gas range or grill to heat the house.
• Check on neighbors, especially anyone older or on medical equipment.

SCE also runs a Medical Baseline program and a portable battery program for customers who depend on powered medical devices. If someone in your home does, ask SCE whether you qualify before an event, not during one.

If the power does go out

SCE's own PSPS notice says restoration is expected to take up to 8 hours after the weather improves, and longer if it needs daylight for safe inspections or finds damage. Crews have to inspect the lines before they can re-energize them. If a shutoff starts at night, expect it to run into the next day.

A PSPS isn't the only way to lose power in high wind. In January 2025, a pre-dawn outage across the mountains had everyone assuming a shutoff, but SCE said it was wind damage to its equipment, and some of that line runs through terrain so rugged it needed helicopter inspection. And if your cabin sits at the end of a long circuit, you may be among the last to get power back, as we explain in why some Lake Arrowhead cabins lose power first.

If you see a downed power line, call 911 first, then SCE at 1-800-611-1911.

When the lights come back

SCE asks customers to turn off or unplug appliances and equipment that may start automatically when power returns. When it does:

• Wait a few minutes before turning anything back on, because power sometimes returns in surges.
• Restart in order: the refrigerator and heat first, then other big loads one at a time.
• Watch for trouble: flickering across rooms, a breaker that won't hold, or a burning smell means call an electrician.

Our guide to what changed in SCE's PSPS rules this year covers why shutoffs can come earlier than they used to. A whole-house surge protector and a smart panel are the upgrades that make the restart less stressful.

Generator safety

• Run it outdoors, well away from the house, doors, windows, and vents. CDC guidance is at least 20 feet.
• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. That can back-feed the lines and injure crews. A professionally installed transfer switch is the safe way.
• Keep it out of the garage, even with the door open.

Questions about a potential shutoff

Does a "potential PSPS" mean my power will go out?

No. SCE warns customers on circuits in scope before it knows whether winds will exceed its thresholds. During a PSPS event in November 2025, SCE sent cancellation notices to 5,767 customers it had warned, because the forecast fire weather didn't materialize in their areas.

Will SCE tell me before it shuts off my power?

It tries to notify customers on circuits in scope ahead of time, by phone, text, or email. That's why your contact info matters.

How long does it take to get power back?

SCE says up to 8 hours after the weather improves, longer if it needs daylight or finds damage.

Want a generator, a transfer switch, or a surge protector in place before the next warning, not after?

Call Lake Arrowhead Electrical at (909) 403-4740 and we'll tell you what's realistic before the next wind event.