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Keeping the public safe from wildfires

Snohomish County PUD works every day to ensure our customers and employees are safe. As wildfire threats have grown in our region over the past few years, we are making thoughtful plans and taking action to reduce the risk of utility-caused wildfires in high-risk areas.

As part of that planning, we have developed our own Wildfire Mitigation Plan. This plan details how the PUD will take proactive measures to reduce the risk of wildfires and respond to potential wildfires in our service area. We have also outlined a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) plan, a tool of last resort to mitigate risk during times of extreme fire danger.

What we’re doing to fight wildfires

Man in hardhat looking at plansTargeted Tree Trimming: In an effort to protect infrastructure near wildfire-vulnerable areas, PUD tree trimming crews are focusing their efforts on tree, limb and brush removal near power lines in the Darrington, Gold Bar and Index areas.

Energy Control Center employee monitoring systemGrid Hardening: Made possible by a $30 million Department of Energy grant, the PUD’s SnoSMART project will install wireless smart grid devices on the grid to give PUD system operators more control over equipment in the field.

Hand pushing stop button on dry and windy dayInitiating “Alternative Settings”: If our region experiences heightened wildfire conditions, the PUD will initiate alternative settings on equipment in identified high-risk areas. These settings minimize the chance of wires being energized if they’ve fallen.

Electric chain sawCrew Safety: When working in areas identified as high-ignition risk, PUD crews often use battery powered chainsaws instead of gas-powered when the Department of Natural Resources’ Industrial Fire Protection Level (IFPL) requires it. Crews are also outfitted with a water can, fire extinguisher and firefighting equipment when applicable.

Public Safety Power Shutoffs

In the rare instances of extreme fire conditions combining with high winds, the PUD has developed a plan to proactively shut off power to customers in the identified areas of the county and Camano Island. This is a measure of last resort and will only be initiated when all factors align, and the PUD determines the fire risk is high enough to necessitate a PSPS.

Ways to be ready:

There are several actions you can take now to ensure you’re prepared if the PUD calls a PSPS:

  • Have a plan B and a place to go if you lose power for an extended period of time or your home is threatened by wildfire.
  • Create a MySnoPUD customer account and provide contact information so the PUD can communicate updated information with you before, during and after a possible PSPS. If you already have a MySnoPUD account, make sure your contact information is correct.
  • Click here to sign up to be included on all PUD Wildfire Alert email updates.
  • Bookmark the PUD’s outage map to stay up-to-date on outages and information. You can sign up for outage text alerts on the outage map if you are impacted by an outage.
  • Stock up on water, shelf-stable food, ice and medications for at least three days.
  • Learn about an emergency early by signing up for the county’s Department of Emergency Management emergency alert system, SnoCoAlerts. To sign up, visit snocoalerts.snoco.org.

If an outage happens:

Here’s what you can expect if you’re impacted by a PSPS outage:

  • The PUD will provide updates via email, robocall, website, social media, outage map and through the media before, during and after a PSPS.
  • Stay informed on open cooling centers and other ways to stay cool during extreme heat events by visiting snoco.org/cooling.
  • Any outages connected to a PSPS will last as long as the threat and conditions persist. The PUD will communicate regular updates on the expected duration of the outage through the same channels mentioned above.
  • When conditions improve, the PUD will inspect the de-energized lines and perform any repairs to ensure a safe reenergizing of the lines in the impacted area. The PUD will communicate restoration efforts.