Power companies across the Inland Northwest are moving crews into position tonight as severe thunderstorms with damaging winds bear down on the region, and Avista is warning customers to be ready for outages that could last longer than usual.
David Vowels, speaking for Avista, said the company knows the area is no stranger to rough weather, but this storm stands apart because of the wind. “Living in the Inland Northwest, we’re used to extreme weather, but each situation is unique. This particular storm comes with a lot of wind,” he said. Inland Power & Light Company said its crews are also standing by, with Andy Barth saying the utility is prepared for the challenge ahead.
The immediate concern is not just whether lines will come down, but how long it will take to restore them once the storm passes. Both utilities said crews will need time to assess damage before repairs can begin, and Avista said its fire-safety protocols may lengthen outages if trees strike power lines. In those cases, workers must inspect the damage first to make sure restoration does not create a fire hazard.
That caution reflects the practical reality of storm recovery in a wooded region where fallen trees can block access and damage equipment at the same time. Vowels said if power is not restored quickly, “it could possibly be a situation where there are a lot of trees down and it’s taking some time to get to that area.” Inland Power said it plans similar fire-safety protocols next week, underscoring that the priority is safe restoration, even when residents want the lights back on fast.
Barth put it plainly: “Our crews will be working to assess those impacts and restore services safely as quickly as possible. But, it does take time.” Avista is urging residents to move vehicles away from trees, secure outdoor furniture, keep flashlights ready and report outages online or by phone. Vowels also told customers to know where their resources are in case a longer outage occurs. The storm is arriving now, and the question for households across the Inland Northwest is not whether there may be interruptions, but how long they can ride them out.
For anyone following other regional planning and disruption pressures, from utility repairs to projects like the Malaga clears tender for Buenavista affordable housing project, tonight’s weather is another reminder that infrastructure timelines can change fast when wind and trees collide.
