Avista Files 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Plan with Idaho Regulators

Avista Utilities has submitted its 2026 wildfire mitigation plan to the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC), beginning the annual review process required under the state’s Wildfire Standard of Care Act (WSCA). The filing outlines the utility’s latest efforts to reduce the risk of utility-caused wildfires amid increasingly challenging weather and fuels conditions across the region.

Under the WSCA, investor-owned utilities must file wildfire mitigation plans for Commission approval each year. Once approved, the plans establish a regulatory standard of care for wildfire risk management. Utilities that reasonably implement an approved plan are granted a presumption of non-negligence in the event of wildfire-related litigation.

Wildfire mitigation plans typically identify areas where utility infrastructure faces elevated wildfire exposure, specify actions and investments to reduce ignition risk, and detail public outreach strategies before and during wildfire season. Common elements include risk modeling, equipment upgrades, operational protocols, and vegetation management.

Avista’s 2026 plan includes updated geographic risk assessments, fire detection and monitoring technologies, hourly fire-risk modeling, and construction strategies for transmission and distribution assets intended to limit spark ignition potential. The plan also addresses vegetation management practices and broader wildfire preparedness exercises.

With the filing now submitted, Commission staff, Avista, and authorized intervenors will begin assembling the case record for regulatory review. Intervenors can participate in testimony and analysis before the plan is ultimately brought forward for Commission consideration.