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APS presents expanded wildfire-mitigation program and public safety power shut-off criteria; county urged to help with community outreach
Summary
APS outlined a multi-pronged wildfire mitigation strategy—vegetation management, grid hardening, weather stations, cameras and public safety power shutoffs (PSPS). The company said it expanded cameras and weather stations and will target 65 lines for PSPS readiness this season; APS and county pledged coordinated community outreach.
Arizona Public Service told the Board of Supervisors that it has expanded wildfire-mitigation efforts across its northern Arizona service area and described changes to operations that could include targeted public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) during extreme weather.
APS mitigation pillars: APS summarized a comprehensive approach including vegetation management along rights-of-way; grid hardening and pole protection (including a fire-resistant pole wrap); enhanced inspections and asset replacement; instrumentation (more weather stations and pan-tilt-zoom cameras, including AI smoke-detection cameras); and operational controls such as temporary disabling of automatic reclosers in very high fire-risk conditions.
Cameras, sensors and scope: APS said it will have more than 100 pole-mounted weather stations in place by May 1 and about 100 pan-tilt-zoom cameras; it is adding roughly 15 more AI smoke-detection cameras this year. APS said a camera on Mount Elden picked up fires more than 25 miles away in tests and that two-camera triangulation has provided accurate latitude/longitude to firefighters.
Public safety power shutoffs: APS described PSPS as “a tool in the toolbox” to reduce ignition risk when weather, fuel and operational conditions combine to create extreme fire danger. APS said it expanded the program from 13 feeders last year to 65 feeders in northern Arizona this season and that the company aims to be “surgical” to limit customer impacts. APS also described an evolving customer-notification and mapping system that will allow residents to search addresses to see whether they sit on a PSPS-impacted circuit.
County role and outreach: APS said it will coordinate notifications with county emergency management and county communications. APS and county staff said they would share targeted mailings, an interactive map and joint messages advising customers to register for county alerts. APS said the company will mail materials to all customers on lines subject to PSPS and to the smaller set of customers on the 65 specifically identified circuits with PSPS exposure.
Board reaction: Supervisors and emergency-management staff pressed APS about expected community impacts and urged broad outreach, especially for residents relying on powered medical devices or visitors not registered in county alert systems. APS said the company and county will notify vulnerable customers and that county emergency management can use its IPAWS capability and registration database to reach people who do not sign up for APS-specific notices.
What’s next: APS will roll out an interactive map and mailings; county staff said they will coordinate community meetings and requested maps for supervisors to share with constituents.
