Pacific Power will consider shutting off power in Oregon to avoid wildfires in 'extreme weather'

One of Oregon’s largest power companies will consider shutting down electricity during extreme weather events to avoid catastrophic wildfire, officials said Thursday.

Pacific Power, which serves 587,000 Oregon customers statewide, said in a press release that it would only shut down power “as a last resort.”

The announcement comes as Pacific Gas and Electric, whose transmission lines were blamed for sparking the deadly Camp Fire that burned Paradise, Calif., began sporadic power shutdowns in California.

“As wildfires become more frequent and intense throughout the West, protecting the communities we serve from this increasing threat, while providing safe, reliable power, is our highest priority,” Scott Bolton, senior vice president of external affairs and customer solutions at Pacific Power, said in a statement.

Steps the utility is undertaking include clearing brush around power lines and poles, increasing inspections, installing local weather stations and even training crews for wildfire suppression.

But the one that caught Oregonian's attention was a new measure called a “public safety power shutoff.” The company said it was designed to keep people in high-risk areas safe by “proactively shutting off power during extreme and dangerous weather conditions that can result in catastrophic wildfires.”

The company said it’s working with local governments and emergency agencies on “when this protocol would be used and seek their input on coordination” should the utility need to shut off power.

Bolton told Oregon Public Broadcasting that "it’s unlikely Pacific Power would ever need to de-electrify their power lines, and if it does, it would likely only be in high-risk areas like Josephine, Douglas and Hood River counties," OPB reported. 

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 11 years. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.