Xcel Energy is preparing customers in the Rocky Mountain region for preemptive blackouts to help reduce the risk of wildfires as strong, dry winds threaten to knock down power lines.
The utility said it would likely shut off power starting at about noon Wednesday to some customers in nine counties including Denver, according to the company’s website. A stretch of near-record warm weather and dry conditions has created the potential for blazes in the area.
“It looks like a pretty formidable event,” said Scott Kleebauer, a forecaster with the U.S. Weather Prediction Center. “It is going to be a pretty windy day across Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.”
An Xcel representative said Tuesday that the company is still determining the scope of the shutoffs and will be assessing throughout the day.
Once a California phenomenon, utilities across the U.S. are now increasingly opting to turn off electricity to prevent downed power lines and other equipment from sparking catastrophic wildfires. Power companies serving about 24 million homes and businesses across the fire-prone US West now have plans to proactively cut electricity at peak fire danger, according to a 2024 report from Stanford University researchers.
High pressure over the four corners region where Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico come together is contrasting with low pressure across southern Canada. That will send gusts howling across the Rocky Mountains and through the Front Range at up to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour). These stiff winds will shake power lines, which can spark fires when they fall.
Dry weather and high winds have previously caused destructive fires at this time of year. The Marshall fire began near Boulder on Dec. 30, 2021, and burned more than 1,000 homes and dozens of commercial structures. It killed two people.
While weather conditions are projected to improve Wednesday evening, restoring power can take several hours or days because crews must inspect lines and repair damage before they can be safely re-energized, according to Xcel.