Building Blocks of an Electric Grid Wildfire Resiliency Program

Note to readers: The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles, California region broke out as this blog was nearing publication. We publish this piece with sensitivity to the thousands of affected individuals, families, business, and institutions in the region; GAI Consultants wishes a quick and complete recovery to all those impacted by this tragic event.  


Wildfire risk has expanded to affect an ever-growing portion of the United States—in fact, many parts of the eastern half of the country experienced their all-time driest October in 2024. Challenged with these conditions, it is crucial for utilities throughout the nation to develop robust electric grid wildfire resiliency programs to help safeguard their grid assets from damage, help prevent these assets from contributing to fire risk, respond effectively to a wildfire emergency, recover more quickly following a wildfire event, and better provide uninterrupted service to their customers. Indeed, strategic electric grid wildfire resiliency programs are already being implemented by forward-thinking utilities in risk-prone regions.

I have more than 20 years of experience working for a large California utility that serves a region historically prone to wildfires. Working as a project manager and solutions manager, I was called upon to respond to the Cedar Fire of 2003, followed by the Witch Creek Fire of 2007. The lessons that my team learned during the first fire contributed greatly to our preparation in advance of the second fire in the areas of strengthening our grid structures and other assets, proactive monitoring of our grid’s status, advance communication with customers, coordination with a range of multidiscipline mutual assistance crews, and much more.

At GAI, we build on this experience to offer utility clients a comprehensive suite of electric grid wildfire resiliency solutions. Below are some fundamental and effective elements of an electric grid wildfire resiliency program that together form an increasingly essential component of GAI’s electric grid resiliency advisory services.

Risk Assessment and Management
Risk assessment as part of an electric grid wildfire resiliency program helps determine the potential vulnerabilities of energy distribution system components and how profoundly those potential vulnerabilities may affect utility customers. Risk assessment and management considers historical fire data, historical weather patterns, the locations of utility facilities, population density, potential population growth, and more to assess potential risks to the grid and design sustainable solutions to mitigate those risks.
Vegetation Management
Maintaining safe distances between power lines and surrounding vegetation helps keep grid components from coming into contact with ignited plants and trees as well as keeping possible downed wires from coming into contact with flammable plant matter. Calculating and maintaining safe distances between power lines and vegetation, tracking vegetation growth, conducting aerial monitoring, GIS mapping, terrain modeling, and more together comprise a basic-yet-vital component of an electric grid wildfire resiliency program.
Monitoring Technology
Deploying a range of tools including drones, satellite imagery, and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scans enables continuous observation and assessment of physical grid status. Collecting real-time images or scans of poles, lines, and other grid assets helps monitor vegetation management measures, identify vulnerabilities, and target site inspections.
Grid Hardening and Fire-Resistant Infrastructure
Making grid assets more resilient, less prone to contributing to wildfire risks, and more resistant to damage by wildfires and other natural events can include installing structures made of fire-resilient materials, like replacing wooden utility poles with steel poles. Longer cross-arms and insulated wires on distribution poles help prevent live electric cables from coming into contact with each other due to high winds; optimized electric line tension helps mitigate line damage caused by a range of weather conditions. Taller poles help position electric lines above and away from a wildfire, and undergrounding distribution lines helps protect them from fire, wind, and flooding and can help speed post-event power restoration. Finally, including smart devices on power lines enables strategic communication between grid ‘nodes,’ allowing them to self-isolate during events to minimize impacts to communities.
Predictive Modeling
Advances in predictive modeling software and AI technology offer powerful tools to help energy providers predict wildfires and anticipate their behaviors. In the western U.S. where wildfires have long been common, several major utilities have collaborated on a range of technologies designed to power wildfire preparation, response, and mitigation. As evolving weather has heightened wildfire risk nationwide, these technologies become ever more important for electric grid wildfire resiliency programs across the U.S.
Community Engagement and Education
Engaging and informing utility customers in advance of potential grid-impacting events allows them to prepare for possible disruptions and emergency actions like proactive power shutdowns and evacuation orders. Coordinating with a range of local authorities to empower communities—especially in remote areas—with guidance and the time to gather necessary provisions, charge cellphones, locate their closest evacuation center, and more is an essential component of a comprehensive electric grid wildfire resiliency program.
Emergency-Response Planning/Post-Wildfire Recovery Strategies
A detailed emergency response plan helps guide crucial actions and resource deployment during a wildfire event. Establishing protocols for coordinating with area fire and police departments and state and local officials helps utilities leverage a range of municipal emergency services. Establishing a ‘command center’ with designated management roles empowered to direct actions and delegate authority creates centralized oversight for the overall emergency response and restoration effort.

For recovery, setting priorities in advance, such as restoring energy to essential facilities like hospitals and evacuation centers, is crucial to facilitate decision making and speed the recovery process. Considering the different standards of neighboring utilities and geographic locations and understanding the strengths and competences of mutual assistance crews help target actions and deploy skillsets where they are most needed.

Electric Grid Wildfire Resiliency Powered by Collaboration

GAI draws from a pool of nearly 1,000 multidiscipline professionals to deliver utility clients the expertise they need to create an effective electric grid wildfire resiliency program. Proficient in National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) design standards and informed by related government and industry guidance, our team has direct experience providing advisory services for a range of inclement-weather electric grid resiliency programs related to wildfires, hurricanes, and floods including power system planning and risk assessment, strategic line undergrounding, overhead line hardening, associated environmental consulting services, and more. A distinguishing characteristic of our team is the instinct to gain a holistic understanding of the issues, goals, and underlying factors to see that our work fits into the client’s larger program.

An electric grid wildfire resiliency program is complex by nature and can include designs that touch upon a broad scope of engineering disciplines. Utility clients who work with GAI benefit from a comprehensive range of energy services, including the company’s extensive expertise in power delivery engineering, civil/geotechnical engineering, environmental services, and more.

Informed by personal experience and practiced in responding to the needs of a range of utilities across the country, GAI is uniquely positioned to offer utilities the expertise necessary to develop strategic electric grid wildfire resiliency programs and guide their associated implementation efforts to help maintain the delivery of vital energy to customers and essential facilities when it’s needed most.

Contact Ulises Ochoa, 412.399.5108, for more information about GAI’s electric grid resiliency support, part of the comprehensive range of GAI’s engineering, environmental, and cultural resources services for power and energy projects


Ulises OchoaUlises Ochoa supports a range of utility transmission and distribution system design projects, with a focus on electric grid resiliency and wildfire resiliency. An accomplished bilingual engineering professional with a history of fostering strong client relationships, Ulises leverages more than 25 years of experience to manage electric facility projects from inception to completion, help ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and deliver sustainable solutions on time and within budget.

 

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