Wildfire prevention helps to safeguard co-op equipment
May is National Wildfire Awareness Month.
May 2026
by Jeff Caldwell, Staff Writer
Wildfires are no longer primarily confined to the western U.S. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought and shifting weather patterns are creating dangerous conditions much closer to home.
In 2025, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia experienced 152 wildfires that burned 1,733 acres, while the Maryland Forest Service reported 172 fires that burned 8,166 acres.
For electric cooperatives, protecting our members and the communities we serve is our top priority. During National Wildfire Awareness Month, we remain mindful that wildfire mitigation is a year-round commitment embedded in how we operate and invest in our service territories.
Advance technologies can detect fires or the conditions that lead to them, and proactive vegetation management programs lower the risk of wildfires. Additionally, smarter land management policies are essential to a comprehensive wildfire prevention strategy.
CO-OPS FIGHTING WILDFIRES
- Deploying advanced technologies, such as power line sensors and advanced imaging cameras, to help detect fires or the conditions that lead to them.
- Proactively managing vegetation near power lines and other electrical equipment to reduce fuel sources and slow the spread of wildfires.
- Advocating for smarter land management policies, such as the Fix Our Forests Act, which allows co-ops to better maintain power lines on public lands and reduce wildfire risk.
For more information, visit dof.virginia.gov/wildland-prescribed-fire/learn-about-wildland-and-prescribed-fire.