Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness

Over the past decade, wildfires have emerged as a significant public health and safety concern for much of the Western United States. Puget Sound Energy’s Wildfire Mitigation and Response Program takes a comprehensive approach to addressing the evolving risk of wildfires to help keep customers and communities safe.

During high-risk wildfire weather conditions, PSE may temporarily shut off power lines in some areas to help prevent wildfires from starting. This is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), and it’s a measure of last resort to keep you and your community safe. PSPS could be used anywhere in PSE’s service area if a combination of dangerous conditions are forecast; however, customers in areas at higher risk for wildfire are more likely to experience PSPS.

Customers with Medical Life Support status noted in their PSE account will receive earlier notification of PSPS, when possible, via phone call, in addition to regular customer alerts. PSE cannot guarantee uninterrupted utility service, and we strongly encourage customers with medical needs to create an emergency plan and consider investing in a backup power source to be prepared for outages and emergencies.