Sierra City: County Issues October Power-Shutoff Preparedness Notice and Lists Public Wi-Fi Locations

SIERRA CITY, Sierra County — An official county warning issued October 14 describes the possibility of a Pacific Gas and Electric public safety power shutoff through October 17 in portions of western Sierra County, depending on wind and wildfire conditions.

What does the county notice say?

The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office public safety announcement says PG&E was preparing for potential de-energization beginning Wednesday evening October 14, with the time and exact communities subject to change. The announcement is a risk advisory, not confirmation that every home in Sierra City lost power.

The agency says generators in Downieville and Sierra City would not be operated during the anticipated shutoff. Residents should check current county and PG&E announcements instead of assuming a named generator is available.

Public internet access resources

Sierra County’s internet access directory identifies the Sierra City Community Hall at 13 Castagna Alley and the fire station at 229 Main Street as locations with open networks. The library at 317 Main Street lists internet access with a login provided on-site. A listed Wi-Fi location is not a guarantee that electricity, a building or a network will be operating during a power outage.

What households should do

Keep medicines and medical devices powered appropriately, charge phones, have a battery radio, and confirm emergency alerts for the exact address. If an outage occurs, verify restoration estimates with the utility. The Sierra City Library ordinarily lists hours Tuesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; emergencies can change access.

Image credit: Illustrative forest mountain photograph: Emma / Unsplash. Not a photograph of a 2026 power outage.

Sources: Sierra County Sheriff’s Office October 14 advisory; county internet access directory; library hours.

Help independent local news grow Your contribution helps us build and sustain community reporting.

Support Sierra City News

Choose how to support Sierra City News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal

Zelle323-677-7643Open Zelle through your bank. Verify the recipient before sending.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “Sierra City News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.

Sierra City News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.