Wildfire Safety

Every summer, wildfires are a threat to our homes, farms, businesses, and forests. They can also cause power outages. In extreme circumstances, Idaho Power might proactively shut off power as a last resort in some areas to keep our customers, employees, equipment and the public safe. These outages, called Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), could last several hours or even days, so make sure you’re prepared.

Click here for current PSPS information.

A PSPS is the final step in Idaho Power’s prevention efforts. It is a last resort. But wildfires can cause outages outside of a PSPS event. Learn more below about PSPS events, how you can be prepared for summer outages, and what we can all do to prevent them.

To learn more about Idaho Power’s PSPS plan, watch our virtual presentation from June 6, 2024.

Learn more about public safety power shutoffs, including a map of potential PSPS area and how you can be prepared.

We work hard to protect our equipment from wildfire and prevent outages. Read about our Wildfire Mitigation Plan here.

Powerline Sensitivity Settings

The heat is finally here, and with it, wildfire season. For the safety of our communities, we’re increasing the sensitivity settings of powerlines in wildfire-prone areas. These lines will not try to automatically re-energize if something causes an outage. This change helps reduce the risk of sparks causing a fire in dry, hot weather. While this could lead to more frequent outages for some customers, it’s an important temporary measure to reduce wildfire risk during the peak of wildfire season.

How Idaho Power equipment automatically reduces wildfire risk: 1) When an object touches a power line or a fault occurs, 2) Protective devices automatically turn off power. 3) Our crews patrol the lines by ground or air. They check for damage or obstructions before restoring power.