CenterPoint Energy Gears Up for Potential Wildfires in Houston Area

CenterPoint Energy management is closely observing the weather this weekend, which could lead to wildfires in the Cypress, Fort Bend, and Katy regions. They are also making preparations for possible brief power interruptions, as stated in their March 14 news release. The National Weather Service has announced a “Red Flag Warning” from noon to 9 p.m. on March 15 for areas within Greater Houston and other parts of the state, according to the same March 14 release from the NWS’s Houston Galveston office. With expected wind gusts between 20 and 30 miles per hour combined with low humidity and dry conditions, officials have highlighted this as a potentially hazardous mix.

“Although the fire hazard in our service area is currently lower than in other parts of Texas, we remain vigilant,” said Don Daigler, the senior vice president of Emergency Planning & Response, in CenterPoint’s news release. “We are actively preparing our infrastructure and informing customers should the conditions worsen and the fire threat increase.” As the NWS release advises, fires can ignite easily and spread rapidly. To ensure safety on March 15, residents are advised against outdoor burning, parking on dry grass, and they should promptly report any fires to local emergency services.

In response to the looming fire risk, CenterPoint is proactively conducting pre-inspections and adjusting power line settings while coordinating efforts with local emergency responders and engaging with customers in areas most at risk. “We will update customers using social media, email, text, and Power Alert Service. If any safety outages occur, our team will work safely and swiftly to restore power,” Daigler assured.