- Avista (AVA, Financial) activates Fire Safety Mode for summer 2025 to mitigate wildfire risks in Washington and Idaho.
- Fire Safety Mode prevents automatic re-energization, requiring manual crew verification for power restoration.
- Avista's infrastructure enhancements include replacing wooden poles with steel and converting lines to underground service.
Avista Corp. (AVA) has launched its Fire Safety Mode in Washington and Idaho for the upcoming summer season of 2025 to address the elevated risk of wildfires. This mode, enforced for over 20 years as part of Avista's wildfire prevention strategy, disables automatic power line re-energization during faults. Instead, it necessitates manual verification by crews to restore power, thus minimizing the chance of igniting fires.
Under the leadership of CEO Heather Rosentrater, Avista has made significant infrastructure upgrades as part of its Wildfire Resiliency Plan initiated in 2020. These upgrades include replacing wooden transmission poles with steel ones, installing fire-retardant mesh, and transitioning overhead lines to underground services in select areas. The company emphasizes comprehensive vegetation management to further reduce wildfire risks.
In extreme weather conditions characterized by high winds and low humidity, Avista may employ Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) as a precautionary measure. These shutoffs are designed to reduce wildfire risk by temporarily de-energizing parts of the grid. During these outages, community resources can be activated to support affected residents.
Avista recommends customers ensure their contact details are current, register any medical devices dependent on electricity, and maintain emergency supplies such as flashlights, portable chargers, and a few days’ worth of food and water. For more information on Avista’s wildfire preparedness strategies and PSPS plans, customers are encouraged to visit their website at myavista.com/wildfire.
Avista Utilities provides energy services to a vast customer base, including 422,000 electricity customers and 383,000 natural gas customers, covering an expansive service territory in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and parts of Oregon.
