Wildfires can have a significant impact on electrical infrastructure and hardware failures can sometimes lead to sparking which can cause wildfires. Power and fire experts are working together to mitigate such risks.
November 5, 2022
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Fire and power
Utility companies discuss fire season with UTC
LACEY - The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission held a virtual post-fire-season update with three utility companies; Puget Sound Energy, Avista Utilities and Pacific Power Thursday morning. “I know as late as October, we were dealing with wildfires in the state of Washington and this has become something of the new normal and it is imperative that our electric utilities make sure their infrastructure is safe and that their customers are safe during the risky fire seasons in our state,” said UTC Chair David Danner said in his opening remarks. The meeting allowed a representative from each utility company to give a presentation about how they prepared for fire season, what they faced this fire season, community outreach and education and plans for preparing for the 2023 fire season. UTC commissioners Danner, Milt Doumit and Ann Rendahl were active in asking each representative more in-depth questions about information in their presentations.