WREC Crews Prepared for Wildfires

August 1, 2017
Wells Rural Electric Co. line crews are trained and prepared to handle fire-related situations that endanger utility buildings, equipment and personnel.
Wells Rural Electric Co. line crews are trained and prepared to handle fire-related situations that endanger utility buildings, equipment and personnel.

Wildland fires are a common, expensive and often dangerous threat each summer across much of the western United States, including Wells Rural Electric Co.’s service territory.

Along with burning rangeland and destroying wildlife habitat, wildfires pose a threat to the poles, power lines and other equipment that delivers electricity to WREC members. For that reason, WREC devotes considerable resources to preventative maintenance and employee training to ensure your electric service remains as reliable as possible regardless of conditions.

WREC constantly is engaged in aggressive right-of-way clearance to minimize the chances of equipment damage during fires. In some instances, right-of-way clearing also provides firebreaks that help contain fires.

WREC staff receive training to help preserve the equipment members rely on to keep their power flowing.
WREC staff receive training to help preserve the equipment members rely on to keep their power flowing.

While WREC’s linemen don’t moonlight as wild land firefighters, they do undergo yearly training to safely and efficiently protect the cooperative’s equipment when it is threatened by fire. The company has invested in equipment, such as dozers and firetrucks, to coordinate with other agencies—including the Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Department of Forestry—to help fight fire when it threatens poles and lines. WREC also occasionally takes power outages when it helps protect the safety of rangeland firefighters.

With a hot, dry fire season in full swing following a historically wet spring, wildfires have the potential to wreak havoc on WREC’s system. While WREC can’t guarantee all damage can be prevented, it has already invested hundreds of hours in protecting our lines and poles. Our linemen are trained and prepared to handle a fire-related situation should it arise.