Boulder faces second Xcel power shutoff as fire weather resembles Marshall Fire day

This story was last updated at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 19, and will be updated as conditions change and additional information becomes available.

What’s new (as of 8:50 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20):

• Tens of thousands of customers remain without power, both within planned power shutoff areas and due to unplanned outages. Restoration timelines will depend on wind conditions and the extent of damage to the system, according to Xcel.
• Xcel said it expects a large number of customers to have power restored by noon Sunday, Dec. 21, though some outages could extend into Monday.
• The utility said it will begin communicating more specific restoration information directly to customers early Saturday morning. As of 9 a.m., communication has been limited, and many customers within planned shutoff zones reported receiving no updates.

Earlier updates (as of early Friday morning, Dec. 19):

• Xcel Energy is using a two-pronged approach for Friday’s public safety power shutoff, according to an updated outage map.
• An active shutoff is already underway in some areas as of 5 a.m. Friday.
• Additional neighborhoods are now in a “warning” or staging zone, meaning they could be added to the active shutoff later this morning.
• Boulder Reporting Lab has learned that the next phase of shutoffs could begin around 10 a.m., though timing may vary by location.
• The National Weather Service continues to warn of a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” for fire weather, a designation that is rarely issued.
• The warning applies especially to the Boulder and Jefferson County foothills and areas along and west of Highway 93, where conditions are primed for rapid wildfire spread.
• Extreme winds, critically low humidity and very dry fuels mean any ignition could spread quickly.

Xcel Energy will begin its second public safety power shutoff (PSPS) this week early Friday, Dec. 19, citing extreme wind and critically dry conditions that match or exceed those seen earlier this week, conditions the utility says pose a serious wildfire risk.

The shutoff is expected to affect about 69,000 customers across Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties, with outages beginning as early as 5 a.m. Friday. Weather conditions are expected to improve around 6 p.m., though strong winds and wildfire risk are expected to persist into the evening, and additional unplanned outages are possible.

The move comes as crews continue restoring power from Wednesday’s severe windstorm and the region’s first wildfire-related power shutoff of the week. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, about 26,000 customers across the Front Range were still without power, down from roughly 120,000 outages at the peak, according to Xcel.

Residents also reported power repeatedly going on and off the evening of Dec. 18, as heightened grid safety settings triggered intermittent outages in parts of Boulder and the surrounding area.

Xcel warned that some communities affected by Wednesday’s storm could be without power for more than three days, and that restoration from both severe weather and the PSPS could take several hours to several days. Crews cannot begin restoring power until dangerous conditions subside and power lines are inspected and repaired.

Customers can check whether their address is included using Xcel’s outage map. The utility also stressed that unplanned outages may occur outside shutoff zones due to high winds and enhanced powerline safety settings.

Forecasters at BoulderCAST warned Friday’s setup is especially dangerous, with hot, very dry air overlapping damaging downslope winds for hours.

“We don’t say this lightly: Atmospheric conditions are similar to the day of the Marshall Fire,” BoulderCAST said in its column for Boulder Reporting Lab’s morning newsletter. Relative humidity below 15%, combined with wind gusts that could reach 70 to 90-plus mph, creates explosive fire potential, where even a single spark could ignite a fast-moving blaze.

Near-record high temperatures are also expected, further increasing risk.

Boulder County said the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Friday, calling the situation a “particularly dangerous” threat to life and property if a wildfire ignites.

Wind gusts could reach 100-plus mph, especially west of Broadway, Highway 36 and Highway 93. Open burning is prohibited countywide, and officials urged residents to avoid any activity that could cause a spark, including grilling, mowing, welding or parking on dry grass.

Residents are urged to prepare to evacuate if necessary, secure loose items, bring pets indoors and sign up for emergency alerts through BOCO Alert.

All BVSD schools are closed Friday, Dec. 19. There will be no remote learning, and all before- and after-school activities are canceled, according to the district. CU Boulder has also issued an administrative closure for Friday due to high winds, fire danger and planned power outages.

The city’s Office of Disaster Management is asking residents to stay off the roads Friday if possible, especially west of Broadway and along the Foothills, citing debris, downed lines and dark traffic signals. Fewer vehicles will allow emergency responders to move more quickly if conditions worsen.

In an unusual move, the city will also close all Open Space and Mountain Parks trails and trailheads from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, citing the extreme fire danger, high winds and flying debris.