Avista takes safety steps

COEUR d'ALENE — In response to dry summer conditions and increasing wildfire danger in the region, Avista is undertaking temporary changes to power line operations in its Idaho and Washington service area.

These temporary changes, called Fire Safety Mode, are being made to decrease the potential for wildfires that could occur when re-energizing a power line, according to a press release.

During normal operations, the lines are set to try several times to clear a fault, reducing outage times. In Fire Safety Mode, to reduce the risk of fire, the line stays out until Avista crews determine it’s safe.

"Only then will they turn it back on," the release said. "This can require more time to restore service but decreases the potential fire danger."

The two-week forecast for the Coeur d'Alene area calls for continued hot and dry conditions, with temperatures in the 80s and reaching into the 90s for a few days.

There is no rain in sight.

Recently, Avista has enhanced Fire Safety Mode by pairing it with a fire-weather monitoring system. This allows system operators and field managers to make more informed decisions to reduce fire risk.

Avista will return the distribution system to normal as soon as weather permits and fire potential decreases, the release said.