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Wildfire Risk & Power Safety

Learn how elevated wildfire risk conditions may impact your power, what we're doing to reduce risk, and the steps you can take to stay safe and ready.

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Elevated Wildfire Risk in Northern Colorado

Northern Colorado regularly experiences conditions that can increase wildfire risk, especially during high winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation. These are often identified as Red Flag Warnings.

At PVREA, safety is the cornerstone of everything we do. When wildfire risk conditions rise, we take additional steps to protect our members, our employees, and the communities we serve.

What This Means for Your Power

During times of elevated wildfire risk, we may adjust our system to operate under Enhanced Power Safety Settings.

These settings:

Prevent automatic power restoration after a fault is detected.
Require crews to manually inspect lines before restoring power.

While this approach supports wildfire mitigation efforts, you may experience:

More frequent outages.
Longer restoration times.

Stay Informed & Prepared

Clear communication matters during changing conditions. We encourage members to:

Sign up for Outage Alerts.
Visit the Outage Center.
Follow PVREA on social media for updates.

Report An Outage

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PVREA Mitigation

Our Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

How we reduce wildfire risk year-round through system design, operational practices, and vegetation management.

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Risk & Reliability

How Elevated Wildfire Risk May Impact Your Power

What to expect when conditions escalate and how it may impact your service.

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Alerts & Resources

Emergency Alerts & Community Resources

Where to get trusted updates and how to prepare for evacuations.

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Member Prevention & Preparedness

Wildfire Prevention & Preparedness Tips

Steps you can take to reduce risk and protect your home.

What Is A Red Flag Warning & Why Does It Matter?
- A Red Flag Warning means weather conditions like strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation are ideal for wildfires to start and spread quickly.
- During these periods, wildfire risk is significantly elevated across Northern Colorado.
- Click the button below to learn more about what to expect during Red Flag Warnings.
Power Safety During Red Flag Warnings
Why Does My Power Go Out During High Wildfire Risk?
- During elevated wildfire risk, PVREA may use Enhanced Power Safety Settings. These settings prevent power from automatically restoring after a fault is detected until crews manually inspect the line.
- This helps reduce wildfire risk but may lead to longer and more frequent power outages.
- Click the button below to view current outages and restoration updates.
Outage Center
Does PVREA Shut Off Power In Advance During Red Flag Warnings?
- At this time, PVREA does not proactively shut off power as part of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
- Our focus is on balancing safety with reliability. During times of elevated wildfire risk, we may implement Enhanced Power Safety Settings which increase the sensitivity of our system.
- Click the button below to get real-time updates and alerts.
Sign Up For Outage Alerts
How Does PVREA Help Prevent Wildfires Year-Round?
- We reduce wildfire risk through:
  - Vegetation management.
  - System inspections and maintenance.
  - Infrastructure upgrades and monitoring.
- These efforts help strengthen the system and lower the chance of ignition.
- Click the button below to explore our wildfire mitigation efforts.
Our Wildfire Mitigation Efforts
What Should I Do During A Red Flag Warning?
- You can help reduce fire risk by:
  - Avoiding outdoor burning and sparks.
  - Securing trailer chains.
  - Keeping vehicles off dry grass.
- It’s also important to stay alert and monitor local conditions and emergency management directives.
- Click the button below to see more safety tips to protect your home and community.
Wildfire Prevention Tips & Preparedness
Where Can I Get Emergency Alerts During A Wildfire?
- Your county emergency management office provides the most up-to-date evacuation notices and alerts.
  - Larimer County.
  - Weld County.
  - Boulder County.
- Click the button below to find links and sign up for local emergency alerts.
Emergency Alerts & Community Resources
How Should I Prepare For A Possible Evacuation?
- Be ready by:
  - Creating an evacuation plan.
  - Preparing a go-bag with essentials.
  - Knowing your evacuation routes.
- Preparation helps you act quickly and confidently if conditions change.
- Click the button below to get a full preparedness checklist.
Emergency Alerts & Community Resources
What Should I Do If I See A Downed Power Line?
- Stay far away and report it immediately. Call us at 800.432.1012 or dial 911.
- If it is safe to do so, consider taking a photo so that we may evaluate whether it is a power line or other utility service.
- Even if power appears out, lines can still be energized or may become energized at any point during restoration efforts.
- Always give crews space to work safely.
- Click the button below to report an outage or hazard.
Outage Center

Outage Center

Get access to information and resources for power interruptions, including how to report an outage and find educational safety tips.

Learn More

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Electrical Safety

Where you can learn even more about electrical safety including finding useful tips, accessing safety checklists, and much more.

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