How wildfires are changing the U.S. electric grid

Wildfire resilience is the grid’s ability to reduce fire-related damage, keep essential electricity flowing, and restore service safely after a fire. It includes equipment, operating rules, and recovery plans. The goal is not only to survive a fire, but also to reduce the chance that grid equipment starts one.

For example, utilities can inspect lines more often, clear vegetation, strengthen poles, and use equipment that limits sparks. They may also divide the network into smaller sections. If one section becomes unsafe, operators can isolate it instead of shutting down a much larger area.

This matters because destructive fires are already pushing wildfire resilience higher in utility planning. The article says this year’s season is above the 10-year average for both fires and acres burned. As the grid expands, resilience must be built into new projects rather than added only after failures occur.

Wildfires change grid planning by making location, equipment, maintenance, and emergency operations part of the same safety decision. Utilities must consider vegetation, wind, terrain, access roads, and nearby communities when choosing routes for power lines and sites for substations. They also need plans for smoke, evacuations, and damaged equipment.

A concrete example is a line crossing an area with dry vegetation. A utility might increase inspections, trim nearby plants, replace vulnerable components, or install devices that detect faults quickly. Operators may deenergize the line during extreme conditions, or isolate a damaged section so the rest of the system can continue operating.

The article describes a major U.S. grid expansion occurring as wildfire risk grows. That timing raises the stakes. New lines and substations can either add long-term resilience or create new exposure, depending on their design, maintenance, and operating rules.

The article reports that this year’s wildfire season is above the 10-year average in two measures: the number of fires and the total acres burned. That means the season is exceeding the typical level in both how often fires occur and how much land they affect. The comparison describes a broad increase, not just a few unusually large incidents.

The source does not give exact totals, percentages, or the specific 10-year period’s average. Therefore, it supports the direction of the comparison but not a precise calculation. The important fact is that both measures are higher, rather than only one of them.

That pattern strengthens the case for utility preparation. More fires can create more threats to lines and substations, while more burned acreage can expose infrastructure across larger areas. Utilities are therefore prioritizing resilience as they plan the next generation of the U.S. grid.

When wildfire damages grid equipment, electricity can stop flowing through the affected network. Burned poles, broken lines, and damaged substations can interrupt service immediately. Smoke, heat, and unsafe access can also prevent crews from inspecting or repairing equipment until conditions improve. Outages may last longer when fires block roads or threaten work areas.

Utilities can also cut power before or during extreme fire conditions. This reduces the chance that a fault, broken conductor, or contact with vegetation will create an ignition. The tradeoff is that customers lose electricity even when their local equipment has not been damaged. Operators may disconnect only selected sections, but the affected area can still include homes, businesses, and critical facilities.

These disruptions show why resilience matters. Better protection can reduce damage and shorten restoration. However, no measure removes every risk, so utilities also need communication, backup power, emergency coordination, and careful restoration procedures.

Utilities can protect the grid through a combination of physical upgrades and operating practices. Clearing or trimming vegetation creates more separation between plants and energized lines. Hardening equipment can mean stronger poles, covered conductors, fire-resistant components, improved fuses, and faster fault detection. Utilities can also improve inspections and emergency response.

Burying power lines removes some exposure to windblown branches and surface flames. However, underground systems can be expensive to install and repair, and they may still face heat, flooding, or equipment failures. Utilities may therefore use underground lines selectively, especially in locations with severe risk or dense development. Other options include sectionalizing networks and adding local backup resources.

The article’s central point is that utilities are designing the next grid for a more fire-prone climate. No single measure is enough everywhere. Effective resilience will depend on matching vegetation work, hardened equipment, underground construction, and operating controls to local conditions.

The electric grid is expanding because the United States needs more transmission and distribution capacity to connect new generation, serve growing electricity demand, and replace or upgrade aging infrastructure. The article emphasizes the scale: the country is undertaking one of its biggest grid expansions in decades. It does not identify one single cause for the expansion.

Expansion creates a planning opportunity. Utilities can choose safer routes, design substations with fire exposure in mind, and install equipment that detects faults or withstands harsh conditions. They can also build networks that isolate damaged sections and connect backup resources. These decisions affect reliability for many years, so changing a project later can be difficult and expensive.

Wildfire planning is especially important because the expansion coincides with a worsening fire challenge. The article says this year’s season exceeds the 10-year average for fires and acres burned. New infrastructure must therefore support growth without adding avoidable ignition and outage risks.

The electric grid connects power plants with homes, businesses, and other users. It includes generators, substations, transmission lines, distribution lines, transformers, control systems, and protection equipment. Together, these parts must keep electricity flowing while matching supply with demand and responding to faults.

Electricity usually leaves a power plant and enters a transformer that raises its voltage for efficient long-distance travel. High-voltage transmission lines carry it across regions. Substations then lower the voltage and route power onto local distribution lines. Additional transformers reduce the voltage again before electricity reaches buildings and appliances.

Wildfires can threaten every stage of this path, especially overhead lines, poles, and substations. Damage or a safety shutoff can interrupt service even if a power plant is still operating. That is why the article focuses on grid resilience as utilities expand the system during a more fire-prone climate.