Multiple fires break out due to downed powerlines amid strong winds

DENVER ( KDVR ) — As strong winds blew across the Front Range and the Denver metro area, multiple fires broke out due to downed trees and power lines.

Wind gusts above 90 mph were reported in Jefferson, Boulder, Larimer and Summit counties.

The wind caused property damage for many , made for travel hazards, caused power outages , and in some cases, fires.

Evergreen Fire Rescue said it responded to dozens of electrical hazard incidents since the winds started on Saturday.

“Fortunately, most of the electrical hazards today have been de-energized, but that wasn’t the case for this incident with Lt. Allen,” Evergreen Fire posted Sunday.

EFR posted a video Sunday afternoon showing a tree that had blown onto a power line, igniting a fire . A firefighter said he could see arcing near the line.

Later on Sunday, Evergreen Fire said sparks from electric lines were the suspected cause of a small wildfire in a yard. The fire spanned 50 feet by 50 feet, and EFR said neighbors stepped in to help contain it and volunteer firefighters will finish it.

EFR’s volunteer firefighters were on the scene of another fire caused by a re-energized downed electrical line . The fire was quickly put out. EFR said that was the 48th incident its crews responded to in 24 hours.

Sunday morning, West Metro Fire Rescue responded to a fire at a home in the 2500 block of Fenton Street in Edgewater after neighbors called reporting smoke.

WMFR said the fire was “caused by an electric line that was pulled down by a fallen tree limb in the backyard.”

The fire burned the back of the home and extended inside the house, causing smoke and heat damage to the area where the power feed enters the home.

WMFR said no one was injured in that fire.

Fire weather warnings were in effect Sunday afternoon as wind gusts continued to reach 50 to 80 mph with low humidity.

What to do if you see a down power line

If you see a downed power line, Poudre Valley REA says to stay away, do not touch it , warn others and contact the power company or local emergency services.

“Any utility wire, including telephone or cable lines, could be in contact with an energized power line making them very dangerous,” the PVREA website reads.

PVREA said any downed line should be treated as energized , adding that tree limbs and debris may hide an electrical hazard, and a downed power line can energize things around it.

If you are in a vehicle that has come in contact with a powerline, the safest place to be is inside the vehicle.

“While it may appear a power line has become de-energized and it is safe to exit the vehicle, the only way to know for sure is if a power utility company has confirmed the line has no electricity flowing through it,” the PVREA website reads.

PVREA says to stay put in the vehicle until crews confirm that there is no power in the line. If the line is energized and someone exists the vehicle improperly, PVREA said the person could create a path to the ground and electrocute themselves.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.