Power Company in Colorado Cuts Power to 55,000 Customers Over Wildfire Concerns Amid Strong Winds
A power company in Colorado, Xcel Energy, made a bold decision on Saturday to cut power to roughly 55,000 customers due to wildfire concerns as powerful winds, some reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, battered the state.
The company announced that it was proactively de-energizing lines, affecting customers primarily in Boulder County and small parts of Broomfield, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson, and Larimer counties. The shut-off was scheduled to start at 3 p.m. local time and last until at least noon on Sunday, with the possibility of outages persisting beyond that timeframe as crews needed to physically inspect the power lines.
Xcel Energy stated that the temporary power shutdown was intended to prevent their electric system from becoming the source of a wildfire ignition. The National Weather Service in Boulder warned that winds were expected to increase through the afternoon and evening, with the strongest winds forecasted between 6 p.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday.
Areas in and near the foothills were expected to experience gusts from 80 to 100 mph, while other areas could see gusts of 55 to 70 mph. The Storm Prediction Center issued a warning about the potential for rapid spread of any new fires due to the high winds, with extremely critical fire weather expected across portions of southeast Colorado into the Oklahoma Panhandle and southwestern Kansas.
Parts of five states, including Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas, were under fire danger alerts, affecting more than 77,000 people in extreme fire risk areas and over 2.9 million people in critical areas. In Kansas, a part of Interstate 70 was shut down due to high winds, low visibility, and crashes blocking the highway.
Power failures, broken tree limbs, and blowing dust were expected consequences of the strong winds. The National Weather Service advised people in affected areas to avoid activities that could produce sparks and to stay indoors if possible. Xcel Energy emphasized that turning off customers’ power was a last-resort measure that could be lifesaving, especially for those who rely on medical equipment.
South Metro Fire Rescue recommended that individuals who depend on oxygen tanks should have enough spare bottles to last through Sunday or consider staying with family, friends, or in a hotel outside of the planned outage area. They also cautioned against using outdoor stoves indoors for heating or cooking and advised keeping generators outside in well-ventilated areas away from windows.
The proactive measures taken by Xcel Energy and the warnings issued by authorities underscored the seriousness of the wildfire risk posed by the extreme weather conditions in Colorado and neighboring states.
