Fire Spread Modeling

See where a fire will go before it starts — protect your grid and your community.

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FIRE FORECAST · 12 HROriginWind 28 mph SEFUEL & WEATHERFuel model · GR2 grass · cured 78%RH 14% · Temp 96°F · 1-hr 6%Slope 8% · aspect SWASSETS AT RISK BY HOUR12080400 assets+0h+2h+4h+6h+8h+10h+12hHighModeratePERIMETER+18.4 ac/hrPOLES @ RISK84ALERTS SENTCrews + AHJ

Fire Spread Modeling in Power-View

Who this is for

Electric utilities and co-ops in wildfire-prone regions — California, Pacific Northwest, Texas Hill Country, and the Southeast — under state Wildfire Mitigation Plan regulatory requirements.

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Fire Spread Modeling

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Overview

Wildfire is the fastest-growing threat to electric grid infrastructure in the United States, with utility-caused ignitions now carrying seven and eight-figure liability exposure per event. Power-View's Fire Spread Modeling capability uses the platform's scripting engine to run fire behavior simulations overlaid on your live GIS asset data — showing which poles, lines, and substations are in the modeled fire path, how quickly the threat reaches critical infrastructure, and which assets should be targeted for pre-event protective action.

The difference between a utility that navigates a wildfire season with manageable outcomes and one facing regulatory action and massive liability often comes down to one question: did they know the risk and act on it with documented evidence? Fire Spread Modeling creates a defensible timestamped record of what was known, when it was known, and what actions were taken. When the Public Utilities Commission asks how you decided to implement a PSPS or pre-position crews, the answer lives in Power-View: here is the modeled fire path, here are the assets at risk, here is the decision and when it was made.

What’s included

Fire spread simulation using NWS live wind data, LANDFIRE fuel models, and high-resolution topography data

Real-time fire perimeter modeling updated as weather conditions evolve during active threat events

Asset-level risk scoring by probability of fire contact and structural vulnerability to heat exposure

Integration with Red Flag Warning and PSPS trigger condition monitoring data feeds

Pre-positioning crew and equipment recommendations by zone based on modeled fire path probability

PSPS decision documentation with model outputs, affected customer counts, and complete decision timestamps

Post-event actual versus modeled comparison for model refinement and regulatory and legal documentation

Historical fire pattern analysis for seasonal risk zone identification and capital hardening program planning

Standards & regulatory compliance

This service directly supports compliance with the following standards and regulatory frameworks. GridIntel documentation is structured to generate compliance evidence as a byproduct of normal operations.

  • CPUC Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) requirements — Rule 728
  • NERC EOP-005 system restoration following wildfire events
  • FEMA BRIC and HMGP hazard mitigation documentation standards
  • NWCG PMS 490 fire behavior modeling standards
  • NERC PRC-012 relay coordination for Public Safety Power Shutoffs

Estimate your value

Adjust the sliders to match your organization and see a rough estimate of the value this service can deliver. Results are illustrative — contact GridIntel for an analysis specific to your situation.

Wildfire Risk Value Calculator

Estimate value of advance fire warning, crew pre-positioning, and FEMA documentation support.

Your numbers

200mi

3/yr

$850,000

75%

Estimated value

ⓘ Estimates use industry benchmarks. Actual results vary. Contact GridIntel for an analysis specific to your organization.

Key benefits

Why organizations choose GridIntel for Fire Spread Modeling

Hours of advance warning before a fire threatens assetsKnow which assets face the highest risk before a fire arrives — enabling pre-positioning rather than reactive scrambling.
PSPS decisions grounded in documented model evidenceModel-based PSPS documentation withstands CPUC scrutiny and substantially reduces utility liability exposure.
Crew pre-positioning based on where damage will actually occurDirect restoration resources to specific assets at risk — not a broad geographic area based on general fire direction.
FEMA documentation advantage for reimbursement applicationsPre-event modeling outputs are among the strongest evidence for FEMA disaster declarations and Public Assistance claims.

“Utilities using Power-View fire spread modeling have reduced PSPS scope errors by 40 percent compared to experience-based decisions.”

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