Wildfire Risk Reduction Through Wildlife Risk Mitigation

Abstract

Wildlife mitigation, a cornerstone practice for many rural electric cooperatives, can meaningfully and economically reduce wildfire ignition risk when strategically implemented. Wildfires ignited by power lines can cause extensive property damage and loss of human life, and are a pressing concern for electric utilities serving fire-prone areas. Cooperatives are adapting to compounding fire risks by developing Wildfire Mitigation Plans that focus resources on the most fire-prone and damage-susceptible areas in their service territories. Recent research makes a compelling case that wildlife electrocutions are more common than outage records might suggest. Any electrocution involves one or more thermal events that could ignite a wildfire via a smoldering carcass or expulsion fuse operation. Avian Protection Plans are used to reduce the risks of bird electrocutions on overhead power lines. Synergies between Wildfire Mitigation Plans and Avian Protection Plans facilitate strategic wildlife mitigation that reduces wildfire risk, improves reliability, enhances regulatory compliance, and generates positive stakeholder engagement. Electrocution risk analyses can identify specific poles in high wildfire areas where wildlife ignition risk is 5–8 times greater than normal. Mitigation strategies that cooperatives have used for decades to reduce raptor electrocutions can be applied in high fire areas to reduce ignition risk by a wide suite of small and large species. In certain cases, high risk pole mitigation can be subsidized by third party conservation grants. Focused wildlife mitigation is an important strategy that uses proven tactics and familiar materials to help harden the system against wildfire ignition risk at a manageable cost.