Electric companies don’t need to black out customers to prevent wildfires – here are 3 relatively fast, affordable solutions

Utilities face a dilemma: How to deliver power through dry, windy regions without accidentally starting a catastrophic fire.

By: Jasmine Garland, University of Colorado Boulder, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 7, 2026

Words: 1,261

Last Updated: 2 weeks ago

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By Jasmine Garland, University of Colorado Boulder

A severe winter snow drought has left snowpack levels far below normal across the American West in 2026. Without a slow-melting blanket of snow to keep the soil and forests moist, alpine vegetation is drying into a tinderbox earlier than normal and ramping up the fire risk.

The historic dryness means electric utilities are facing a dilemma: how to deliver power through dry, windy regions without accidentally …

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