The Fight Against Wildfires: How APS is Using Innovative Technology to Keep Power Running
Arizona is no stranger to wildfires, especially during the scorching summer months. The threat of losing power and air conditioning in the midst of these fires can be incredibly dangerous. Fortunately, APS is stepping up its game to protect against this risk.
With 38,000 power lines spread across the state, APS knows that any one of them could fall victim to a wildfire at any moment. To combat this, APS crews are proactive in clearing out brush around power poles before wildfire season hits, creating a defensible space to prevent potential damage.
But that’s not all. This year, APS is taking it a step further by implementing exclusive computer modeling that predicts the path of active wildfires. By analyzing temperature, wind, humidity, and vegetation moisture levels, this fire science modeling can forecast future fire growth, allowing APS to better protect their power infrastructure.
APS meteorologists are also fine-tuning the model by incorporating field data collected from mobile weather stations. This high-resolution model can assess wind speed in challenging terrains like valleys and ridges, providing a comprehensive view of fire behavior.
With these advanced tools, APS is equipping itself to successfully defend power poles from encroaching wildfires, ensuring that residents can rely on uninterrupted power during these critical times.
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