Hawaiian Electric monitors wildfire risks amid wind advisory

Hawaiian Electric is monitoring high winds and dry conditions in areas of Hawai‘i Island after a wind advisory was issued by the National Weather Service.

With the risk of wildfires, the company is in a Public Safety Power Shutoff “watch” condition, meaning that if weather conditions intensify in the next 24 to 48 hours, Hawaiian Electric may proactively shut off power in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk, according to a news release from the power company.

During this watch period, customers in these areas are urged to initiate their own emergency plans and prepare for the possibility of extended power outages.

“A watch doesn’t mean we will shut off power, only that we are monitoring it closely in areas at the highest risk for wildfires,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief operations officer. “While we hope shutting off power won’t be necessary, we have to take this threat seriously and we urge our customers to be prepared and stay informed.”

Outages that are not related to the company’s PSPS program could still occur due to high winds and other conditions.

For more information and maps, call Hawaiian Electric’s PSPS hotline at 1-844-483-8666 toll-free or go to hawaiianelectric.com/PSPS.

At Hawaiian Electric, the PSPS emergency response plan includes:

• Closely monitoring weather
• Deploying spotters to monitor conditions and look out for any fire risks
• Coordinating with state and county emergency response officials
• Urging customers to prepare for possible power outages with safety as their main focus

Customers are urged to make the following their top priorities:

• Check emergency equipment such as flashlights and lanterns (make sure they are operational and buy extra batteries), emergency generators, battery-operated radios and light sticks.
• Have a battery-powered radio on hand to listen for updates on weather conditions and possible PSPS outage implementation.
• If someone in your home is dependent on electrically powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, check backup facilities. Plan where to go if an evacuation is ordered. If you need to go to the hospital or other emergency shelter, remember to take your medical equipment and medications with you to the facility.
• If you plan to use a portable generator, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area outside the home, and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings. If power goes out, this will keep food fresher longer.
• Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronics. If an outage occurs, this will prevent damage to the equipment from surges when power is restored.
• Don’t venture out in the dark, because you might not see a downed power line that could be energized and dangerous; avoid standing water and debris.
• If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet or more away from all power lines. Warn others to stay away. For emergency assistance, call 911. Call the company’s Trouble Line at 1-855-304-9191 for non-emergency issues.