PVREA Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

Wildfire mitigation is part of our daily work, not just something we do during fire season. Our efforts focus on reducing risk and strengthening the reliability and resiliency of our electric system.

Continue reading to learn about our proactive approach to wildfire prevention.

Key Mitigation Activities

Vegetation Management

We trim and remove vegetation near power lines to maintain safe clearances.

To view where our crews are performing vegetation management, visit our maintenance updates webpage by clicking here.

To request vegetation management to protect PVREA power lines and electrical equipment on or near your property, click here.

Design, Construction & Upgrades

Our efforts aim to improve system hardening to prevent contact between electrical infrastructure and fuel sources to minimize risk.

These efforts include:

• Pole Replacement & Reinforcement: Strengthening structures to improve durability in high wind and fire-prone conditions.
• Strategic Undergrounding: Placing select power lines underground in targeted areas to reduce exposure.
• Upgraded Equipment Materials: Replacing porcelain components with more durable composite devices.
• Sectionalizing Power Lines: Installing devices to isolate smaller sections of line and limit risk during faults.
• System Upgrades & Improvements: Adding insulated covers and replacing aging materials, including copper, to improve safety and reliability.

Ongoing infrastructure upgrades help increase power reliability while simultaneously helping improve system resilience.

Inspection & Maintenance

We use tools like:

• Drone Inspections.
• Infrared Technology.
• Vegetation (Rights-of-Way) Inspections & Maintenance.
• Wood Pole Inspections.
• Routine Field Evaluations.

Operational Practices for Rapid Response & Recovery

During times of elevated wildfire risk, we may:

• Initiate enhanced power safety settings.
• Monitor dynamic modeling and forecast resources.
• Strategically position crews throughout our territory.
• Coordinate with emergency partners and maintain readiness to respond.