Current Operating Conditions: 2 – Fire Safety Mode
What Members Need to Know About KEC’s Wildfire Mitigation Strategy
As wildfire risks rise with the forecasted hot and dry summer conditions, utilities across the West—including Kootenai Electric Cooperative (KEC)—are taking proactive steps to protect our communities and infrastructure.
KEC’s wildfire mitigation plan is a key part of our annual preparedness strategy. It is regularly updated to reflect the evolving nature of wildfire threats and to ensure our electrical facilities are both protected from wildfires and do not contribute to starting them. The following information offers members an overview of how we are mitigating fire risk —and how you can stay informed and prepared throughout the wildfire season.
KEC’s approach to fire prevention starts with vegetation management which protects the reliability of the electric system and mitigates wildfire risk by focusing on the identification and removal of hazardous trees as well as the removal and/or pruning of vegetation that interferes with the cooperative’s electrical system. We are also reducing wildfire risk and improving reliability through grid modernization and hardening such as overhead to underground power line conversion projects. Additionally, KEC has a robust inspection program to regularly inspect our infrastructure. Importantly, fire mitigation isn’t something we only focus on during the summer; KEC prioritizes wildfire mitigation throughout the year.
KEC’s wildfire mitigation plan outlines actions the organization takes based on the National Fire Danger Rating and weather conditions. KEC monitors weather, including temperature, wind, and humidity, as well as fuel moisture readings, and alters electric system operations based on those readings. For example, when the risk of fire is low, KEC’s electric system operates normally to prioritize reliability. However, as fire risk increases, KEC modifies its electrical system to turn off automatic re-energization of power lines when a fault occurs. During this time, all faults, which can be caused by lightning, heavy winds, trees or branches falling on lines, vehicles colliding with poles, wildlife and more, will result in an outage, even if the problem was temporary. KEC crews must also patrol its power lines to confirm that the lines are clear and it is safe to restore power.
During periods of critical fire weather, such as red flag warnings, KEC stages line crews strategically throughout our service territory. By doing this, our crews can respond to outages more quickly during elevated threats of outages, assist first responders, and monitor conditions that may necessitate rare preemptive power shutoffs.
Under certain conditions, KEC may need to consider whether to implement a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) to mitigate the risk of wildfire. This can result from emergency action agencies requesting power be deenergized in an area to assist first responders, high sustained wind during very dry conditions, or other similarly rare events. Generally, a PSPS will only be implemented on that part of KEC’s electric system where the risk of fire is severe. KEC will take steps to notify its members and the public of any potential PSPS and, if a PSPS is implemented, will provide regular updates, including estimated restoration times when such estimates are available.
As conditions evolve throughout the season, our system operations will be updated accordingly. Members are also encouraged to follow us on social media for updates.
We understand that power outages are inconvenient. While KEC may need to take proactive steps to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety—steps that could result in temporary outages—we are committed to minimizing their impact on our members. Every effort will be made to keep outages as brief and limited as possible.
Listen to our podcast episode on KEC’s wildfire mitigation plan and fire safety.
Safety & Preparation Reminders
As a reminder, KEC cannot guarantee uninterrupted electric service or priority power restoration. If continuous power is essential for your household, we strongly encourage you to plan ahead by securing a backup power source—such as a generator, battery system, solar setup, or other alternatives.
Please review tips for safety and power outage planning for those who rely on electricity for medical needs.
- To review safety and outage preparation reminders visit our Safety web page.
- To keep your contact information up-to-date visit our Manage Your Online Account web page.
- View the outage map, and learn what to do when your power goes out visit our Outage Center web page.