{"id":2608,"date":"2025-06-27T08:33:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T15:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/?p=2608"},"modified":"2025-07-22T08:33:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T15:33:57","slug":"generators-during-wildfire-season-oregon-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/generators\/generators-during-wildfire-season-oregon-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Generators During Wildfire Season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"37\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">When wildfire season hits, and power companies drop power to protect lines, having a generator isn\u2019t just a convenience, it\u2019s peace of mind.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Utilities like PGE and Pacific Power use <strong data-start=\"41\" data-end=\"80\">Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS)<\/strong> during high fire-risk days (hot, dry, windy weather) turning off electricity to prevent utility-caused fires. <\/span><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">These outages can last hours or days while crews inspect and repair lines<\/span>. <span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Without power, your home loses heat, lights, well pumps, refrigeration, and critical health devices. That\u2019s where a generator steps in.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"194\" data-end=\"231\">Why Wildfires Often Trigger Power Shutdowns<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">Fuel-dry vegetation and gusty winds can knock trees into power lines or stress equipment, sparking fires. To reduce danger, PSPS is used preemptively<\/span>. <span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\">PGE, Avista, Pacific Power, and others in Oregon and Washington notify customers 24\u201348 hours ahead when shutoffs may occur.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Power of Having a Generator<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"487\" data-end=\"528\">\n<p data-start=\"489\" data-end=\"528\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"35\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Backup power during PSPS events<\/strong>: A generator keeps your lights, heating, and vital systems running when the grid goes dark.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"529\" data-end=\"570\">\n<p data-start=\"531\" data-end=\"570\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"36\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Medical and safety peace of mind<\/strong>: Families relying on medical equipment or needing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/residential-resources\/comfortable-efficient-home-electrical-upgrades\/\">climate control<\/a> are better protected.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"571\" data-end=\"612\">\n<p data-start=\"573\" data-end=\"612\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"35\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Food safety during long outages<\/strong>: Generators preserve refrigeration until the power returns.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"613\" data-end=\"654\">\n<p data-start=\"615\" data-end=\"654\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"27\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Maintain daily routines<\/strong>: Remote work, cooking, and lighting all continue without interruption.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"655\" data-end=\"696\">\n<p data-start=\"657\" data-end=\"696\"><span class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"36\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Protect against weather extremes<\/strong>: Outages during heat waves or cold snaps present real health risks.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What Local Utilities Recommend<\/h2>\n<p>Utilities across the PNW &#8211; PGE, Pacific Power, Avista, EWEB, and OTEC &#8211; encourage customers in PSPS areas to prepare, especially with generators. Oregon\u2019s PUC advises <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/residential\/backup-generator-installation\/\">backup generators<\/a> for medically vulnerable customers. They stress:\u202f<strong data-start=\"915\" data-end=\"940\">generators save lives<\/strong>, not just appliances.<\/p>\n<h2>Choosing the Right Generator<\/h2>\n<p><strong data-start=\"1003\" data-end=\"1036\">Whole\u2011home standby generators <\/strong>(installed by a licensed electrician)\u00a0kick on automatically when the grid drops. They run off natural gas, propane, or diesel and keep your home fully functional. <strong data-start=\"1164\" data-end=\"1187\">Portable generators<\/strong>, on the other hand, can back up critical circuits but require manual setup and cautious handling. Always run them outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide hazards.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips to Stay Ready<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1355\" data-end=\"1416\">\n<p data-start=\"1358\" data-end=\"1416\"><strong data-start=\"1358\" data-end=\"1374\">Test monthly<\/strong> to ensure reliability during emergencies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1417\" data-end=\"1500\">\n<p data-start=\"1420\" data-end=\"1500\"><strong data-start=\"1420\" data-end=\"1451\">Schedule annual maintenance <\/strong>with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/residential\/generator-maintenance-repairs-service\/\">Prairie Electric<\/a> for full-service tune-ups.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1501\" data-end=\"1567\">\n<p data-start=\"1504\" data-end=\"1567\"><strong data-start=\"1504\" data-end=\"1525\">Keep fuel on hand<\/strong>, especially before wildfire season peaks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1568\" data-end=\"1666\">\n<p data-start=\"1571\" data-end=\"1666\"><strong data-start=\"1571\" data-end=\"1600\">Install a transfer switch<\/strong> so power integrates safely without risking back-feeding the grid.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why Prairie Electric is Your Wildfire Season Ally<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1728\" data-end=\"1912\">We understand how PSPS affects <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/locations\/ridgefield-wa\/\">Ridgefield<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/locations\/vancouver-wa\/\">Vancouver<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/locations\/portland-or\/\">Portland<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/locations\/tri-cities-wa\/\">Tri-Cities<\/a>, and everywhere else in the Pacific Northwest. Our expert team can help assess your home\u2019s needs, install a dependable generator, and provide ongoing support. We know the <strong data-start=\"1928\" data-end=\"1946\">PSPS protocols<\/strong> and help you plan ahead, handling safe <strong data-start=\"2054\" data-end=\"2105\">installation with transfer switches and permits<\/strong>. We also offer maintenance plans to ensure your system is ready for every emergency. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/request-service\/\">Contact us<\/a> to schedule your generator consultation today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When wildfire season starts, be ready with a standby generator installed and maintained by Prairie Electric. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":46,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[102],"class_list":["post-2608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-generators","tag-generators"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prairielectric.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}