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Why It Matters
As wildfires continue to devastate parts of Utah, utility-driven power shutoffs have emerged as a key tool for preventing new ignitions — and the company behind the cuts says more could follow depending on weather conditions through the remainder of the season.
The move directly affects tens of thousands of households and businesses across Southern Utah, a region already reeling from one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in state history. Officials have warned that the Cottonwood Fire near Beaver may already rank among the worst in Utah’s recorded history.
What Happened
Rocky Mountain Power recently activated a 48-hour public safety power shutoff warning covering roughly a dozen communities in Southern Utah, including Cedar City, Milford, Moab, Price, and Vernal. Approximately 7,700 customers fell within the warning zone.
A 48-hour watch designation means shutoff is possible but conditions are still being evaluated. Once that window narrows to 24 hours, customers face a higher likelihood that power will actually be cut. The company emphasizes the distinction between a watch and a confirmed shutoff as part of its tiered notification system.
This marked the third such watch Rocky Mountain Power has issued in the past four years, reflecting a growing reliance on preemptive shutoffs as wildfire conditions intensify across the region.
Earlier this season, the utility de-energized several thousand customers at the outset of the Cottonwood Fire. Following that incident, company crews deployed mobile generators once fire officials gave the go-ahead, providing a temporary bridge for affected residents.
By the Numbers
- 7,700+ customers affected by the most recent shutoff warning
- 3 public safety power shutoff watches issued by Rocky Mountain Power in the last four years
- Hundreds of weather stations installed by the company on poles throughout its service area
- 5-day weather forecasts built every weekday by in-house meteorologists
- Approximately 2,000 customers de-energized when the Cottonwood Fire broke out
How Rocky Mountain Power Tracks the Threat
The utility maintains its own team of meteorologists and has built out a network of hundreds of weather stations mounted on power poles across its service territory. Each weekday, the company assembles a five-day forecast to identify windows where wind, heat, and dry vegetation create elevated ignition risk along its lines.
That infrastructure allows the company to move quickly when conditions deteriorate — but it also means customers may face abrupt changes to their power supply with limited advance notice during dangerous weather events.
More Shutoffs Possible This Season
Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson Jona Whitesides said future shutoffs will depend heavily on how Utah’s weather pattern evolves. She noted that a shift toward a traditional monsoon season — characterized by rainfall and reduced wind — could lower the chance of additional shutoffs.
But Whitesides cautioned that wildfire risk does not disappear once summer ends. “You technically could see a public safety power shutoff in the middle of winter as well,” she said, pointing to scenarios where low snowpack and high winds create conditions capable of sparking a fire even in cold months.
Zoom Out
Utah is not alone in facing this challenge. Utilities across the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest have increasingly adopted preemptive shutoff programs modeled in part on California’s experience with catastrophic utility-sparked fires. The practice remains controversial among some customer groups who argue the shutoffs impose serious hardship, particularly on residents with medical equipment or refrigerated medications.
The broader wildfire threat this season has already claimed the lives of firefighters near the Colorado-Utah border and prompted Gov. Spencer Cox to ban fireworks statewide through July 5 in an effort to prevent additional ignitions during peak fire conditions.
What’s Next
Rocky Mountain Power will continue issuing watches and warnings on a rolling basis as its meteorology team monitors conditions. Customers in affected areas are encouraged to prepare for potential outages and have plans in place for medical devices, food storage, and heating or cooling needs. The company has not announced any permanent changes to its shutoff protocols at this time.
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