Wealthy Calabasas residents protest utility's night-time blackout amid extreme heat

Southern California Edison will cut electricity to more than 500 customers in Calabasas on Friday and Saturday evenings while crews upgrade equipment intended to lower wildfire hazards. The outages come as a severe heat wave pushes daytime highs into the mid-90s and even nighttime temperatures remain unusually high, raising concerns for residents without air conditioning. Homeowner Jonathan Bobbitt described the situation as unbearable, noting that indoor temperatures could stay near 80-90 °F. The utility had initially set the shutdown for 7 p.m. but moved it to 9 p.m. after receiving a wave of complaints.

Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian said the schedule change reflected the intensity of the public response and highlighted worries for elderly and disabled people who may struggle to leave their homes. The city is developing plans to provide cooling locations for those most at risk during the blackout. While many acknowledge the safety benefits of the upgrades, critics argue the timing shows poor planning.