Nothing provokes nightmares for electric co-op staff like a wildfire does. Fires can melt power lines, burn utility poles, destroy equipment, and knock out power to co-op members. And fire risks in Colorado are increasing due to lower humidity, more forest diseases, and more human settlement and activity in fire-prone areas. “When there are red flag warnings due to dry and windy conditions, I have trouble sleeping at night,” said San Miguel Power Association Chief Operating Officer Jeremy Fox. SMPA serves southwestern Colorado and is based in Nucla.
Co-ops are standing up to this evolving challenge with greater usage of traditional methods like trimming trees near power lines, wrapping wooden poles with fire-retardant material, and educating their members about fire-safe landscaping. They’re also deploying advanced grid technology that is more responsive to fires. And some — including SMPA and Glenwood Springs-based Holy Cross Energy — use sophisticated camera systems to detect and locate fires quickly.
At strategic locations across SMPA’s service territory, four Pano AI cameras scan for smoke 24 hours a day. When a camera recognizes signs of smoke, Pano’s software and human observers determine if it’s from a wildfire or something benign like a campfire. Then, two or more cameras triangulate the fire’s location and alert local fire departments.
When cameras detected a fire near Nucla last year, Pano AI notified firefighters so quickly that crews were on their way before the first 911 call came in.
“So much of wildland fire protection is about early detection, and that’s exactly what the Pano system does,” Telluride Fire Protection District Chief John Bennett said.
SMPA also gets notifications from Pano about fires, and the co-op uses this real-time information to initiate its mitigation plans, which may include rerouting power flows or de-energizing parts of their grid as necessary to avoid additional ignitions.
More than 300 miles east of SMPA, Falcon-based Mountain View Electric Association has a multi-pronged fire-risk mitigation strategy developed with help from two consulting firms. Fort Collins-based EDM and Michigan-based Atwell “helped us assess our overall fire risk and identify our most at-risk distribution circuits,” said MVEA Junior Planner and Distribution Engineer Kevin Dimmett.
With this refined understanding of its fire risks, MVEA is replacing certain reclosers and substation relays — components that detect and manage faults — with newer versions that are more sensitive to fire and weather conditions. It is also wrapping wooden poles with fire-retardant materials.
The co-op’s most expensive measure is replacing about 3 miles of its 6,242 miles of power lines with underground conductors. “We’re investing in this solution in our highest fire-risk areas,” Dimmett said. MVEA partially funds these measures with a $771,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant obtained through a national consortium of co-ops.
Funding, of course, limits how much any co-op can invest in reducing its fire risks. SMPA, for example, is devoting a significant portion of its fire mitigation budget to help fund the Pano AI network, sharing costs with the Telluride Fire Protection District. “We’d like to expand that network, and we are working with other interested parties on grant proposals to do that,” Fox said.
To address a threat from trees that were growing too close to power lines, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association’s board voted in 2021 to add a monthly surcharge to its members’ bills. The Buena Vista-based co-op was already engaged in extensive wildfire risk-mitigation efforts — a necessity in the mountainous terrain it serves. But this wasn’t enough, it determined. “Without this surcharge, it would take us more than 20 years to clear potentially dangerous trees from our electric wires,” SDCEA Manager of Operations Ryan Doke said.
SDCEA felt a growing urgency to act after Colorado experienced three of the five largest wildfires in its history in 2020. “We’d also had the Decker and Hayden Creek fires nearby, and we knew our region was potentially at risk for more wildfires,” said SDCEA Manager of Communications Chris McGinnis.
SDCEA’s surcharge, known as a “rate rider,” is currently $8 per month and will sunset when the board determines it’s no longer necessary. While the cost is not trivial for some co-op members, SDCEA and its members prioritize community safety and well-being, according to McGinnis. “Investing in preventive measures to help protect our service territory is not just a cost but a necessary step to safeguard lives, property, co-op assets, watersheds, and the environment.”
Wildfire risks will always be a part of life for electric co-ops in Colorado. But by taking proactive and innovative measures like those described here, co-op leaders will sleep easier knowing they’re doing what they can to keep their infrastructure and communities safe.
Jim Hight is a writer, research analyst, and consultant based in Buena Vista, Colorado, where he is a grateful member of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association.
FIVE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PREVENT WILDFIRES
- Properly extinguish campfires. Always douse your campfire with water, stir the ashes, and ensure everything is cool to the touch before leaving the area.
- Don’t burn on windy days. Avoid outdoor burning when it’s windy or dry, as embers can easily spread and ignite surrounding areas.
- Clear vegetation and debris. Maintain a defensible space around your home by removing dry leaves, dead branches, and other flammable materials.
- Use equipment safely. Tools like lawn mowers or chain saws can spark fires. Use them during cooler times of the day and keep them in good working condition.
- Follow local fire regulations. Always check for burn bans or restrictions in your area before burning anything or using open flames outdoors.
For more information on wildfire prevention and preparedness, visit redcross.org.
