‘It’s all a part of living up here’: Mount Charleston living brings emergency precautions
MOUNT CHARLESTON — A month into wildfire season, Mount Charleston residents have been hit with their first emergency precaution of the season.
On Thursday afternoon, NV Energy announced Kyle Canyon and Angel Peak were under a Public Safety Outage Management watch.
During a PSOM watch, NV Energy monitors local conditions and abides by updates from the National Weather Service to decide whether to de-energize power lines in fire-prone areas. De-energizing power lines decreases the risk of electrical fires.
NV Energy lists Mount Charleston in its highest tier of risk as an extreme fire risk, according to the utility’s website.
The PSOM watch was declared by NV Energy after the National Weather Service declared a Red Flag Warning for Mount Charleston. Red Flag Warnings are issued when strong winds, low humidity and hot temperatures are present. These conditions are conducive to large-scale fire catastrophes.
At noon on Friday, NV Energy elevated its PSOM watch to a warning for Kyle Canyon and Angel Peak. The warning was in effect until 1 p.m. on Sunday.
“A PSOM Warning means a de-energization is imminent to help protect the community and environment from wildfires,” the NV Energy alert said.
Around 1 p.m. Friday, residents started reporting power outages in the Kyle Canyon area. NV Energy’s outage map showed 411 customers without power shortly after.
Throughout the area, NV Energy trucks were present. At the NV Energy substation, crews worked to prepare equipment with Gen-Tech generators seen near the standard power lines.
“Some customers are experiencing an outage now as we test equipment in advance of a potential PSOM tomorrow,” said Meghin Delaney, media relations manager for NV Energy.
Power was restored in the area at 3:20 p.m.
Resident outlooks
Longtime resident and Realtor in Mount Charleston Katie Corr said people who move to Mount Charleston know the possible risks of wildfires and power outages. Living in the mountains is in high demand because it’s a lifestyle that’s fulfilling for residents, she said.
“There’s a real sense of community up in Mount Charleston, and being surrounded by nature every day just shifts your perspective in a really good way,” Corr said.
She has a portable dual fuel generator at her cabin on the mountain that she sets up for longer outages and a solar generator in the house for smaller items that need electricity, such as her coffee pot.
Mount Charleston resident Allison Sosa wasn’t too worried about the PSOM warning. The warnings aren’t frequent, she said.
“It’s a temporary inconvenience for a better outcome. It’s all a part of living up here,” she said.
Sosa has lived off and on in the Mount Charleston area her whole life. She has been back for a year and said the warnings are new.
“We’ve never had a fire happen from a broken wire or spark up here before,” Sosa said. “Sometimes I think it’s overkill, but other times I think it’s good.”
She doesn’t have a generator, so if outages seem like a possibility, especially in the winter, she packs up her family and dogs to go stay with local relatives.
“If it’s out for a couple of days, we’re in trouble because we’re all electric,” she said.
Despite all the possible outages and extreme weather, Sosa said it’s worth it to make Mount Charleston a year-round home.
“Our neighbors up here are great. We rally together and share food and help keep each other company,” she said.
Contact Megan Howard at mhoward@reviewjournal.com. Follow her on X at @meganmhxward.
