Cypress, Katy, Fort Bend at risk for potential power outages, wildfires March 15

CenterPoint Energy leaders are monitoring weather conditions this weekend that could cause wildfires in the Cypress, Fort Bend and Katy areas and are preparing for possible temporary power outages, according to a March 14 news release from the company.

Long story short

The National Weather Service has issued a “Red Flag Warning” for noon-9 p.m. on March 15 for parts of the Greater Houston area as well as other regions across the state, according to a March 14 news release from NWS’ Houston Galveston branch. Wind gusts of 20-30 miles per hour, low humidity and dry conditions are projected, which officials said could be a dangerous combination.

“While the fire risk is currently lower for our service area than in other parts of the state, we are staying focused and taking action to prepare our equipment and customers if weather conditions worsen and the risk of fire grows,” said Don Daigler, senior vice president of Emergency Planning & Response via CenterPoint’s news release.

Fires can start easily and quickly spread, according to the NWS release. To stay safe on March 15, residents should:

• Not burn anything outdoors
• Avoid parking on dry grass
• Report any fires to local emergency departments

According to CenterPoint’s release, officials are preparing for the potential power outages by:

• Performing pre-inspections and calibrating power line settings
• Preparing with local emergency response agencies
• Communicating with customers in at-risk areas

For updates from NWS, click here or call 281-337-5074 ext. 232 or ext. 234. For safety information from CenterPoint, click here. To enroll in the company’s “Power Alert Service” mobile alerts, click here. To view CenterPoint’s power outage tracker, click here.

“We will keep customers informed via social media, email, text and Power Alert Service, and in the event of any temporary safety outages, we will restore power safely and as quickly as possible,” Daigler said.