PGE Preparation for Wildfire Season

Throughout the last several months residents of the Mt. Hood Villages have experienced slight delays on roads within the community as Portland General Electric continues tree limbing work in preparation for wildfire season. With a service area that includes more than 2.2 million trees and approximately 12,000 miles of overhead power lines, Portland General Electric has been working with tree removal companies to reduce potential fuel components ahead of the dry summer weather.
Portland General Electric communications liaison John Farme, describes the tree limbing and enhanced vegetation management as routine and an important factor in keeping the Mt. Hood corridor as safe as possible during wildfire season. “During this process, we identify potentially hazardous vegetation both inside and outside our right-of-way,” Farmer said. “We then work with private and public landowners to reduce the risk of trees falling or touching power lines. Our enhanced standards are specific to wildfire risk reduction within these higher fire risk areas; we inspect those areas every year before fire season and conduct a more extensive patrol every two-years,” Farmer added.
Working closely with the Mt. Hood National Forest, Portland General Electric has been helping to manage vegetation in the Mt. Hood area for over the last 40 years. “Our vegetation management program was officially organized in the early eighties, starting a regular schedule to maintain clearances and mitigate potential hazards around our power lines,” Farmer said. “Over the years, we’ve enhanced our approach by using remote sensing data, employing International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists, developing a great relationship with both Mount Hood National Forest and the US Forest Service, and implementing innovative methods to ensure safe, reliable power for our customers,” Farmer added.
In a year-round effort to enhance wildfire planning and mitigation across their service areas, Portland General Electric has partnered with several local, state, government and corporate entities in order to provide the utmost preventative measures for the Mt. Hood corridor. One such organization that Portland General Electric has partnered with in recent years is the newly developed Mt. Hood Corridor Wildfire Partnership (MHCWP). Organized in 2022, this group is facilitated by the Zigzag Ranger district of the Mt. Hood National Forest and works closely with community members with regard to wildfire prevention, education and information on potential wildfires in the immediate area.
While Portland General Electric and members of MHCWP remain active year round and vigilant in wildfire preparation, members of the Mt. Hood Villages are encouraged to remain prepared and informed. “PGE plans and prepares year-round for inclement and extreme weather conditions. In historically wet, mild Oregon, summers are getting hotter and drier, resulting in a longer fire season,” Farmer said. “Regardless of the season or time of year, everyone has a part to play when it comes to readiness. That’s why PGE proactively implements measures to reduce wildfire risks,” Farmer added.
As tree limbing and hazardous vegetation is continuously being removed by Portland General Electric and their partners, it is important for Mt. Hood Villages residents to partake in their own safety in and around their property. With the removal of items that can spark and spread a fire quickly, any and all preventative measures taken on every level in the community encourages a safe summer season.