Fire-related outages could increase in the Pacific Northwest

Lina PortmanJune 6, 2024

0 1 minute read

(TNS) – When a fire ravaged the east bank of the Yakima River last week, about thousands of people in the Yakima, Washington, area lost power.

This was not the result of electrical damage, but of a policy by Pacific Power to cut power lines threatened by wildfires for safety reasons.

A utility company spokesperson said such outages will likely become more frequent because of increased wildfire dangers.

East Valley firefighters and other departments were battling a fire in the 1300 block of Marsh Road on the afternoon of May 30 when power in Yakima was cut, leaving customers without service, according to Pacific Power's outage website.

The utility fully restored power to all customers within four hours, Pacific Power spokesperson Pampi Chowdhury said.

In an email response to a request for comment, Chowdhury said the outage was the result of a policy to “de-energize” power lines if a wildfire is considered burning too close to the lines or other electrical equipment.

The Selah Fire Department released a statement saying the power outage was due to Pacific Power's safety policy, not because the fire had crossed any poles or lines.

While it's not a new policy, Chowdhury said residents can expect to see more outages as wildfire risks increase.

When power went out during the Marsh Road fire, people visiting Pacific Power's website were simply told that the utility was “investigating” the cause of the outage. Chowdhury said shutdowns sometimes need to be made so quickly that he cannot notify in advance and would update outage maps.

Users should ensure their account information is up to date to receive alerts and updates in the event of an outage. Log in to your Pacific Power account online or call 1-888-221-7070.

Residents are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts through Yakima County Emergency Management at www.yakimacounty.us/2222/Alert-Yakima. Alerts are available in English and Spanish.

Contact Donald W. Meyers at [email protected].

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