Wildfire risk is increasing across the country, and here in the Key Peninsula and Gig Harbor area, it’s something we all need to be aware of. At PenLight, we are actively working to reduce wildfire risk and improve community safety.
What PenLight Is Doing: Mitigation, Monitoring & Action
PenLight’s comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Plan combines proactive strategies and cutting-edge technology to safeguard our communities:
- Situational awareness tools, including risk modeling, weather, and vegetation monitoring, and real-time system data to detect heightened fire risk.
- Vegetation management, regular line and pole inspections, tree trimming, and hazard tree removal to keep danger away from equipment.
- Grid hardening upgrades, including installation of a covered conductor called “tree wire” to protect against branches and limbs touching bare conductor and potentially causing a spark. We’re also replacing old poles and wires, and continuing to bury primary power lines underground for added reliability and resilience. 449975
- Operational protocols, enhancements during high-risk summer months, such as planned safety outages, modified protective settings to operate and isolate a fault more aggressively, and the extensive use of advanced protective devices to reduce ignition risk during events.
SafetyFirst Mode: A Smart Precaution
During times of elevated wildfire risk, PenLight may engage SafetyFirst Mode, or SFM, on parts of our system. This means automatic reclosing devices are temporarily disabled so power lines stay deenergized after a fault, reducing the chances of sparking dry vegetation and starting a fire.
Though this may result in longer outages, it allows crews to inspect the site before power is safely restored, prioritizing community safety first. We encourage members to stay alert during Red Flag Warnings and to sign up for outage alerts, especially if you rely on medical devices.
How You Can Prepare: Together Is Stronger
PenLight is doing a lot, but wildfire safety is a shared responsibility. Here are steps you and the members of your household can take:
- Create an emergency plan, including multiple evacuation routes and an out‑of‑area contact person.
- Build and maintain a seven-day go‑kit, with water, food, medications, important documents, chargers, flashlights and pet supplies.
- Remove dry brush and combustible debris around your property.
- Stay connected: Follow our social channels, and consider Pierce County and Kitsap County alerts to stay current on emergency updates.
Working Together: From Policy to Community
PenLight is also collaborating with state and federal partners on policies and reforms to streamline wildfire prevention work. Some of these changes would expand vegetation clearance buffers around power lines, reduce regulatory delays, and lessen liability barriers so our crews can act faster.
We partner with local fire departments, government agencies, and community organizations to build preparedness and resilience across our service area.
At PenLight, we’re committed to keeping your community safe, informed, and powered up even under the most challenging conditions. As wildfires pose a real threat, we’ll continue prioritizing safety in every decision.
For more details on our wildfire and outage preparedness efforts, please visit our Wildfire Mitigation Plan and SafetyFirst Mode webpages on the Wildfire Mitigation Plan page.