As of Tuesday evening, more than 46,000 people were without power and thousands more were at risk of having their power shut off due to dangerous fire weather conditions.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) initiated public safety power shutoffs Monday afternoon due to strong Santa Ana winds. These emergency shutdowns in certain communities are intended to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by downed power lines.

“It’s a little worrying, you know, you don’t have power. They have no heating. They have no lights,” Descanso resident Johnny Pierce said. “Obviously a lot of wind, all your stuff blowing everywhere.”

Pierce and his family stayed with friends Monday night because he was unable to heat his home due to the power outage. On Tuesday, he came to the Community Resource Center in Descanso to charge his phone and connect to the internet.

“They also offer books, and you know, just a warm place to stay,” he said.

The strong winds prompted the California Highway Patrol to close eastbound Interstate 8 at East Willow Road to suspicious vehicles. On Tuesday afternoon, dozens of semi-trucks stood on the side of the road waiting for clearance.

Some schools and businesses, including the Julian Pie Company and Harrah’s Resort Southern California, were also closed because of the power outage. Harrah’s reopened Tuesday at 3 p.m.

However, power is not expected to be back on for some residents until Friday at the earliest.

SDG&E says power lines must be inspected for damage before service can be restored. In some areas, inspections can only be carried out by air.

For Pierce, the failure is a “bummer.”

“My wife works from home, so she can’t work at the moment either. It just stops everything,” he said. “And since I have kids, they get bored, you know, because they want to play their video games and all that stuff.”

SDG&E said the 12 Community Resource Centers will remain open until power is restored. If further outages occur, more could be activated

At the center, residents can get things like a car converter to charge their electronics, water, snacks and ice. They are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m