New work led by @climate_guy & featuring @weathertrader, @pyrogeog, @tomwptak, & me on California fire weather & PG&E's "Public Safety Power Shut-offs!" We were motivated by widespread, prolonged, & disruptive events in 2019. (1/5) iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… #PSPS #CAwx #CAfire 
We find 2019 fire wx conditions were indeed exceptional in decadal context. However, we were unable to replicate widespread extent of PG&E's actual PSPS outages using publicly-stated weather thresholds (big difference near SF Bay Area especially). iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… (2/5)
We find numerous pockets within PG&E service area subject to 2 or more PSPS events per year, even under typical conditions. Frequency & extent of PSPS risk zones highly sensitive to exact wind threshold used, w/high inter-annual variability. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… (3/5)
We further find that persistence of unusually dry (September-like) vegetation into Oct & Nov, as occurred during 2018 and 2019, dramatically increases scope of PSPS risk (by 70%). This suggests that #ClimateChange may already be increasing PSPS risk. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… (4/5)
Given widespread disruptions experienced as result of 2019 PSPS policies & disproportionate impacts on marginalized & low-income communities, we need to find ways to mitigate negative societal externalities of PSPS in an equitable manner. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.108… (5/5)
