PNM cuts off power to Las Vegas due to due to high wind and wildfire risk
Bridge Street in downtown Las Vegas, N.M., pictured in 2022. (Courtesy photo)
The state's biggest electrical utility said it shut off power to about 2,300 customers in Las Vegas Thursday in a pre-emptive move to prevent wildfires.
PNM says it initiated the 'public safety power shutoff' at 11:30 a.m. in the Northern New Mexico town. The outage could last up to 48 hours depending on conditions, officials said.
The area is experiencing extreme fire conditions, thanks to prolonged drought, large buildup of fuel, high temperatures, low humidity and increased winds, according to PNM. A National Weather Service high wind warning says gusts could reach 65 mph.
'The decision to shut off power will be made only as a last resort to protect lives and property from the threat of wildfire,' PNM officials said in a news release earlier Thursday.
All of New Mexico is under either a high wind or Red Flag warning imposed by the National Weather Service, which indicates high wildfire risk. The high wind warning is in effect through most of northwestern New Mexico, including Las Vegas, and the Red Flag warning is in effect everywhere else.
PNM has warned repeatedly this year that it could impose pre-emptive power shutoffs, including in East Mountains of Albuquerque, Las Vegas and elsewhere, though it had not yet done so until Thursday.
The utility has never done a pre-emptive shutoff before, officials said at a recent news conference, but said it is increasingly necessary due to extreme wildfire conditions.
The utility has also been sued for wildfires in recent years, including the McBride Fire in Ruidoso. A law firm accused it of negligence for allowing a tree to be blown onto a powerline it controls, but the utility has denied any liability.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is a storm coming to North Texas? Reasons why you may be hearing an Outdoor Warning Siren
If you live in the North Texas area, you might have heard a loud, disturbing sound Sunday evening. That sound, however, is meant to keep you safe. According to the National Weather Service, scattered storms are expected from Monday night through Tuesday morning, with mid-to-late week storm chances for the remainder of the week. Those storms could bring large hail and strong, gusty winds. Here is what Texans should know about the sound they hear during storms. Outdoor Warning Sirens are commonly referred to as "tornado sirens," but this term is misleading. These sirens function as an all-hazards alert system, providing alerts for various emergencies beyond tornadoes. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, each city determines the specific criteria for activating its outdoor sirens. While the conditions that trigger the alarms may differ slightly from place to place, they are generally set off by similar factors, including when the following conditions are met: The National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning. The National Weather Service issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and indicates the potential for destructive winds of 70 mph or greater. Trained storm spotters have reported a tornado in the jurisdiction or in a neighboring jurisdiction that has the potential to affect your community. Observed hail of 1.5' in diameter or greater. Other emergencies, as directed by the community's designated public safety officials. Take cover right away. If no shelter is accessible and severe weather is approaching, find safety in a ditch, ravine, culvert, or other low-lying area. Ensure that the spot you choose is not at risk of flooding. Shield your head and neck with your arms or a piece of clothing for protection. When a siren sounds while you're indoors, take cover in an interior room without windows for your safety. According to Dallas City Hall, the outdoor warning system is tested on the first Wednesday of every month at noon, weather permitting. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why outdoor sirens could go off this week in North Texas
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Monday Flight Delays: ATL, DFW Among These Airports Facing Disruptions
Nearly two dozen major U.S. airports could see significant flight delays Monday due to cloudy skies and thunderstorms across the country. Thunderstorms across the country are causing delayed flights on Monday. As of 2:10 p.m. EDT, over 3,700 flights were delayed in the U.S., according to FlightAware. Triple-digit delays were reported Monday out of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and Denver. Meanwhile, Boston Logan Airport is under a ground delay due to 'low ceilings,' with cloudy skies causing more than one quarter of all arriving flights to be delayed, by an average of 88 minutes. The FAA's daily air traffic report highlights potential delays due to weather conditions in major U.S. airports from coast to coast and from Chicago to Houston. Low clouds may cause delays in Boston (BOS), New York (JFK, LGA, EWR), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington, D.C. (BWI, IAD, DCA), San Francisco (SFO) and Southern California (LAX, SAN). Thunderstorms may slow flights in Atlanta (ATL), Charlotte (CLT), South Florida (MIA, PBI, FLL), Detroit (DTW), Chicago (ORD, MDW), Houston (IAH, HOU) and Dallas (DFW, DAL). 'The main thing making weather headlines over the next couple of days willbe the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms to develop across portions of the Deep South and extending northward to the central Appalachians on Monday,' according to the National Weather Service. The forecast calls for a 'slight risk of severe thunderstorms' from Louisiana stretching northeastward to western New York, including 'scattered multi-cell clusters and some supercells, with damaging winds and large hail the primary threats, and some tornadoes are also a possibility.' In addition, stormy weather is expected across western Texas and eastern New Mexico on Monday. Summer months (June, July, August) experience the highest rates of weather-related flight delays in the U.S., with approximately one third of all flight delays caused by bad weather. The elevated summer percentage is primarily due to intense thunderstorms, the start of hurricane season and extreme heat, all of which can disrupt flight schedules. 45,000. That's how many flights the FAA manages on a daily basis in the United States. As of mid-afternoon, roughly 8% of all flights in the country are delayed Monday. Flight Delays Are Up From Last Year. Here's Your Summer On-Time Battle Plan (Forbes)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Weather forecast for primary election day in North Jersey doesn't look promising
Possible thunderstorms are in the forecast for June 10 in North Jersey, which is also the date of the New Jersey primary elections. Heavy rain is a possibility, according to multiple weather agencies. The National Weather Service reports that showers are likely between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. in North Jersey on election day. Potential thunderstorms are also in the forecast for the same time frame. The chance of rain sits at 70%, according to the NWS early forecast. Rainfalls amounts may accumulate to a half and three quarters of an inch. Rain should slow down by the end of the day. There will then be a 30% chance of showers in the evening. AccuWeather offers an hourly forecast that predicts thunderstorms to arrive at 11 a.m. on election day in North Jersey. There is about a 56% chance of thunderstorms at 11 a.m. and then a 50% chance of thunderstorms happening again at 2 p.m. If people want to keep dry when entering the voting booth, it may be best to vote later in the day opposed to the morning. Between 3 p.m. until 8 p.m., which is when polls close, there will be less than a 50% chance of rain during each hour, according to AccuWeather reports. The Weather Channel also agrees that precipitation will mostly fall in the morning, with the highest percent chances of rain occurring between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. New Jerseyans will head to the polls to vote in elections such as the governor's primary race for the Democrat and Republican parties, seats for New Jersey Assembly and the lower house of the state legislature. Weather can typically play a small role in affecting voter turnout, The New York Times previously reported. This article originally appeared on NJ weather forecast for primary election day shows rain
