Electricity was shut off to nearly 6,000 customers across northern Arizona on Wednesday morning as Arizona Public Service (APS) took precautionary measures to reduce wildfire risk.
The utility provider initiated the outages amid forecasts of powerful wind gusts approaching 60 mph, combined with extremely dry conditions—factors that experts say significantly increase the likelihood of fires sparked by electrical equipment. APS indicated the outages could last between 12 and 24 hours, though the timeline remains dependent on evolving weather conditions.
The decision follows warnings issued a day earlier to residents in eastern Flagstaff and nearby communities, alerting them to the possibility of temporary service interruptions.
Power was cut around 9 a.m. in several areas, including Doney Park, Timberline, Fernwood, Mormon Lake, Cosnino, Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon and Valle, along with some المناطق near Grand Canyon National Park, excluding Grand Canyon Village. According to APS outage data, more than 5,900 customers were impacted.
To support affected residents, Flagstaff officials opened the Murdoch Community Center, where people can access charging stations, store medication, and receive water. The center is scheduled to remain open through the afternoon.
APS, the largest electricity provider in the state, serves approximately 1.4 million customers. The company says such preventative shutoffs are part of broader efforts to reduce wildfire danger during periods of extreme weather.
