Power Shut-Offs and Fire Risk: What Vashon Needs to Know This Summer

As Washington heads into another dry, fire-prone summer, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has issued new warnings that directly impact Vashon Island. For the second consecutive year, the utility provider has announced that it may preemptively shut off power to certain communities, including Vashon, as a safety measure to reduce the risk of wildfire ignitions from electrical infrastructure.

PSE calls this a “tool of last resort,” but it’s becoming an increasingly standard part of fire-season planning across the West. The company’s models now identify areas of high wildfire risk not just in Eastern Washington, but across sections of Western Washington, including us.

Why Vashon Island Is on the Watchlist

Though Vashon doesn’t experience the same arid conditions as Ellensburg or Concrete, it shares a common threat: trees, overhead lines, and dry summer weather. Fire investigators have long warned that a single fallen tree limb during drought conditions can mean disaster. The 2020 fire that destroyed five homes in Pierce County was started in this manner, and the tragic fires in Malden and Maui demonstrate just how quickly lives and communities can be upended.

According to Puget Sound Energy’s wildfire risk models, several areas on Vashon Island, likely those with dense forest cover and above-ground infrastructure, have been marked as high-risk zones. That means we could experience either planned “public safety power shut-offs” with some notice, or instantaneous blackouts caused by the utility’s new “enhanced power line settings,” which automatically cut power when they detect a fault or potential spark.

What This Means for Vashon Residents

1. Power Loss Without Warning: The “enhanced settings” could result in power being cut instantly if a tree branch brushes a line or a pole fault is detected, even in calm weather. This is intended to prevent sparks, but means outages could be sudden and longer-lasting.
2. Public Safety Shut-Offs: In more extreme fire conditions, PSE may give up to 48 hours’ notice for a broader shut-off. However, re-energizing lines requires an in-person inspection, meaning you could be in the dark for hours or even days.
3. Medical and Communication Challenges: Residents using medical equipment, such as oxygen machines, dialysis equipment, or infant monitors, must register with PSE for “life support status” and create a contingency plan. Cell service may also be spotty in some areas during outages.
4. Increased Fire Awareness: Fire conditions this summer are elevated even on the west side of the Cascades. Vashon is not immune, especially with below-average rainfall and low snowpack runoff fueling dry vegetation. A stray ember, faulty wire, or lightning strike could quickly become a crisis.

For Livestock and Horse Owners: Upcoming Emergency Preparedness Courses

For those of us with horses, goats, chickens, and other livestock, the risk of wildfire is not just about losing power — it’s about being prepared to protect and evacuate animals in a crisis.

Big Rock Ranch will host three hands-on, veterinarian-developed courses this August focused on equine health, emergency first aid, and disaster readiness for livestock owners:

Equine Health & Emergency First Aid

August 9 | 9am–5pm | $169 plus tax
Learn how to recognize signs of pain, take vital signs, handle lacerations, colic, shock, hoof issues, and other urgent scenarios. You’ll practice real techniques with horses on-site and leave with a certificate and manual.

Disaster Planning & Emergency Preparedness

August 10 | $169 plus tax
If you own livestock on Vashon, this course is a must. It prepares you for wildfires, floods, storms, and evacuation logistics. It applies to all species, not just horses, and aligns with insurance and industry best practices.

$315 when registering for both days.

Whether you’ve got a backyard barn or a full-scale ranch, these courses are about being ready when seconds matter. With PSE modeling parts of Vashon as high-risk and emergency shut-offs likely, now is the time to get trained, informed, and connected.

For registration info, visit Steep Ridge Trails Registration or contact Big Rock Horse Ranch on Vashon.

What You Can Do

• Update your contact information with PSE: Ensure your email, phone, and SMS numbers are up to date so you receive any necessary warnings.
• Register for life support status if applicable: Do that here via PSE’s website.
• Prepare a backup power plan: If you rely on essential devices or medications that require refrigeration, consider investing in a backup battery or generator.
• Stay informed: Bookmark the Vashon Emergency Operations Center (EOC) website and follow VashonBePrepared.org for updates and alerts.
• Check in on neighbors: Especially those living alone or without internet access.

A Local Reminder

Vashon’s rural charm, thick forests, long driveways, and gravel roads also make it vulnerable in a wildfire scenario. While the risk may still feel remote, the lessons from other communities are clear: it only takes one spark.

At the Vashon Observer, we’ll continue to monitor the situation and post updates as they become available from both PSE and the Vashon EOC. If you’ve recently experienced an unplanned blackout, it may not have been a coincidence; these new safety systems are already in place.

Let’s keep the island safe by staying alert, sharing resources, and preparing now, while the skies are still clear.