Coloradans may see another round of power outages this week as electricity utilities ramp up safety features amid widespread fire danger, according to Xcel Energy.
Fire weather watches will be in effect on Monday and Tuesday for the Front Range and Eastern Plains, according to the National Weather Service. The watches cover metro Denver and parts of Jefferson, Douglas, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Park, Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Elbert, Morgan and Lincoln counties.
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"We expect extreme wildfire conditions due to historically low snowpack, coupled with unseasonably warm and dry weather and very dry vegetation that could contribute to large, fast-spreading wildfires," Xcel Energy officials said in a statement on social media. "High winds that create wildfire risk and may cause power outages are expected to continue through Thursday."
The utility plans to activate "enhanced powerline safety settings" throughout the week. The settings make lines more sensitive and will stop the flow of electricity if an issue, like a tree branch touching the line, is detected.
"This helps improve public safety during heightened risk conditions, though it means outages, if they occur, are likely to last longer than typical," Xcel officials stated.
Wind gusts up to 30 mph are forecast for Monday, and up to 60 mph gusts are expected Tuesday, forecasters said. Relative humidity values as low as 12% will be possible each afternoon.
"Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread," weather service forecasters stated in the fire weather watch. "Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire."
Other alerts from the weather service that had been issued as of Sunday afternoon for the Eastern Plains -- including Elbert, Lincoln and Washington counties -- included:
- A red flag warning until 5 p.m. Sunday
- A red flag warning from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday
- A high wind warning from Tuesday morning to Tuesday afternoon
"Damaging winds could blow down trees and powerlines," the high wind warning stated. Power outages are possible."
Another "critical fire weather day" and red flag warning will be possible on Wednesday, especially for the Eastern Plains along and south of Interstate 70, forecasters said in a hazardous weather outlook.
Power restoration can take hours to days because Xcel crews need to inspect each line and repair any damage before electricity can return, according to the utility.
As of Sunday afternoon, no public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) -- where Xcel proactively cuts off power to targeted areas during extreme weather to reduce wildfire risks -- had been planned.
"Currently, a PSPS is not being considered because the company believes it is unlikely weather conditions will meet PSPS criteria," utility officials stated in a news release. "However, customers may still experience power outages due to strong winds."
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