Wildfire Prevention Settings in Effect

In response to the National Weather Service issuing a Red Flag Warning near the Cascade foothills, the PUD has instituted wildfire precautions in areas near Darrington, Oso, Granite Falls, Index and Sultan. These precautions include:

• Switching our equipment to settings that greatly reduce the chance for ignition. These settings instantly de-energize entire circuits when a fault occurs. This can lead to outages that effect more customers and take longer to restore.
• Limiting field work in the area designated Red Flag Warning to emergencies only.
• Using electric chainsaws instead of gas-powered to reduce spark risk.
• Equipping our crews with water tanks and hoses.

It’s important to note: We are not considering a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) at this time. A PSPS proactively shuts off power to customers in a designated area to reduce the risk of wildfire. For more on PSPS, click here.

What is a Red Flag Warning? The National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning when critical fire weather conditions are forecast or met, including low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, the possibility of dry lightning strikes or any combination of the above.