Community Wildfire Safety Program

Expanding our efforts to prevent wildfires

The Community Wildfire Safety Program (CWSP) launched in 2018 to help keep customers and communities safe in the face of the growing wildfire risk around our state. California, Oregon and Washington, along with several other western states, continue to experience an increase in wildfire risk and a longer wildfire season. Nearly one-third of the electric lines that provide our customers with power are now in High Fire-Threat District (HFTD) areas, as designated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

As we continue to respond to severe weather threats, our wildfire safety program is evolving to reflect lessons learned and incorporate new information. That is why our program includes short-, medium- and long-term plans to make our system safer.

How we are taking action

Our 2021 CWSP focus areas include:

Providing support for Public Safety Power Shutoffs

Supporting customers and communities before, during and after Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) outages by providing even more resources and working year-round to improve our PSPS Program.

Conducting Enhanced Vegetation Management

Meeting and exceeding state vegetation safety standards with our Enhanced Vegetation Management Program to manage trees and other vegetation located near power lines that could cause a wildfire or power outage.

Improving our system

Continuing to build a safer and more resilient system by hardening lines and installing sectionalizing devices that help to reduce the size of PSPS outages. We are also beginning to underground 10,000 miles of distribution power lines in High Fire-Threat Districts (HFTD).

Deploying innovative technologies

Testing and using new tools and technologies to pinpoint how to best prevent and respond to the risk of wildfires.

Do you live in a high fire-threat area?

The CPUC worked with CAL FIRE and other utility and public safety experts to develop a Fire-Threat Map. View the fire threat map here. The map identifies areas across California that have the highest likelihood of a wildfire impacting people and property, and where additional action may be necessary to reduce wildfire risk.

• Tier 3 areas are at extreme risk for wildfire
• Tier 2 areas are at elevated risk for wildfire
• Zone 1 High Hazard Zones are areas with high numbers of dead and dying trees