20260107New Release.pdf

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Littte,Governor
P.O. Boot 83720. Boise. ID 83720-0074 Edward Lodge, Resident
John R.Hamnwnd, Jr.,Commissioner
Dayn Hardie,Commissioner
Case No. AVU-E-25-15
Order No. 36901
Contact: Adam Rush
Office: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
NEWS RELEASE: Northern Idaho electric utility files application seeking approval of wildfire
mitigation plan.
BOISE (Jan. 7, 2026)—Avista Utilities has filed an application with the Idaho Public Utilities
Commission seeking approval of its annual wildfire mitigation plan. The 2026 plan details work
the utility is doing to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Electric utilities file the plans with the Commission pursuant to the Wildfire Standard of Care
Act(WSCA). The WSCA requires the Commission to annually approve wildfire mitigation
plans for investor-owned utilities. Under the WSCA, if a wildfire results in a lawsuit against an
electric utility, there is a presumption the utility acted without negligence if it reasonably
implemented a Commission-approved mitigation plan.
Each electric utility's plan includes identifying areas where the utility has infrastructure or
equipment that it considers may be subject to heightened risk of wildfire at the time the
mitigation plan is finalized by the utility, actions and programs the utility will take to reduce
wildfire risk, community outreach and public awareness efforts the utility will use before, during
and after wildfire season to inform the public of relevant wildfire risk as well as efforts to notify
the public of wildfire-related outages, among other items.
Avista's plan includes information on geographic risk assessment, fire detection equipment,
hourly fire risk modeling as well as distribution and transmission line construction strategies
designed to prevent spark ignitions. The plan also includes information on vegetation
management and wildfire preparedness exercises, among other items.
Commission staff, Avista Utilities and intervenors to the case will start the process of creating a
record that, once completed, will be submitted to the Commission for its consideration.
Intervenors are allowed to participate in the proceedings for applications filed with the
Commission.
Additional information is available at: puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7660.