Wildfire Mitigation – A statewide viewpoint
The recent wildfires in California are a heartbreaking reminder of the risks that face many communities in the arid western United States. While a combination of drought, high winds, and low humidity all conspired to create the conditions for this tragic event, it’s not clear yet who or what was responsible for igniting the fires. It has been suggested that electric utility facilities may have been the cause of at least one of the wildfires, although that has not been proven.
Whether or not the Southern California wildfires were caused by electric power lines, there is no doubt that utility facilities have previously been the cause of wildfires in California. Colorado’s electric co-ops are very much aware of these risks, and they do everything in their power to reduce the possibility that their facilities will cause a wildfire. Electric co-ops go to great lengths to clear vegetation from around their power lines and other facilities, and they are leaders in deploying new technology to anticipate and detect conditions where wildfires may be more likely.
Colorado’s electric co-ops also prepare wildfire mitigation plans that spell out in detail all the steps they take to lower the risks of wildfires. But even the most comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan does not guarantee safety. With thousands of miles of power lines across the state, many of which traverse remote forests and public lands, it is impossible to mitigate all the risks.
For that reason, CREA has been working on a legislative proposal that would recognize the work being done by Colorado’s electric co-ops around wildfire mitigation. The bill would provide some measure of liability protection for those co-ops that have implemented a state-approved wildfire mitigation plan. Without a bill like this, it may become impossible for Colorado co-ops to obtain adequate liability insurance to protect their consumer-members. Other states have passed similar legislation, and we’re hopeful that the Colorado legislature will consider this bill — if not this year, then in the 2026 session of the legislature.
Colorado’s electric co-ops need reassurance that if they do everything that is reasonably possible to mitigate the risk that their facilities will cause a wildfire, they will not be subject to lawsuits that could literally bankrupt them. Co-ops will always do everything in their power to protect the communities they serve, including investing time and money in measures to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Kent Singer is the executive director of CREA and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for 21 Colorado electric distribution co-ops and one power supply co-op.