Two Washington electric utilities buffeted by serious power line fires during last September’s windstorms have opted not to develop plans for public safety power shut-offs that could be used to prevent the ignition of such blazes.
During those windstorms, a fire started by a sparking Avista Corp. line destroyed 121 homes in the Malden area of Eastern Washington. Others that flared in Western Washington destroyed seven homes in an area of Pierce County served by Puget Sound Energy.
During a May 26 public meeting convened by the state Utilities and Transportation Commission, officials with the two utilities outlined a range of measures for the 2021 season that includes surveillance to spot hazard trees, pole replacement and maintenance to keep branches off lines. The officials said the fire prevention measures currently in place should be enough to reduce the risks.
“Currently, public safety power shut-off is not in our tool kit,” said Dave James, who manages Avista’s wildfire resiliency program.