SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Gas & Electric officials Tuesday urged customers to conserve energy because the region's power grid is operating at near maximum capacity.

Electrical power outages affected 24,992 customers in 44 communities in the San Diego area, according to SDG&E. Gas outages affected 1,445 customers in five communities.

The fires throughout San Diego County hampered SDG&E's ability to assess the damage, officials said. As soon as affected areas are declared safe, repair crews will be mobilized.

The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state's power grid, declared a transmission emergency for Southern California due to the number of power lines that have been knocked out of service.

The situation was particularly dire in San Diego, where multiple 500-,230- and 138-volt lines were disabled.

"The situation remains highly dynamic with conditions on the electrical grid changing rapidly," Cal-ISO officials said in a statement. "Where possible, without compromising individual health or welfare, voluntary energy conservation in San Diego can help reduce the strain on the transmission lines that remains in service."