Chairman Nick Myers hosted the third annual Wildfire Mitigation Special Meeting and Town Hall at the Arizona Corporation Commission on April 16, bringing together utilities, fire management officials, and technology providers to discuss wildfire prevention efforts in the state.
The event aimed to highlight ongoing strategies and technological advancements for reducing wildfire risk. According to Chairman Myers, “The interactive and educational presentations from our utilities and other key stakeholders highlighting their wildfire mitigation efforts and use of new technologies made this year’s town hall especially engaging.” He also noted that during the meeting, a representative from the Arizona Department of Forestry & Fire Management received an app notification about a new wildfire, allowing it to be quickly located and extinguished before any official calls were made.
Participants included major utilities such as Arizona Public Service, Tucson Electric Power & UniSource, Salt River Project, Trico Electric Cooperative, and Arizona Water Company. Agencies like DFFM, Southwestern Region USDA Forest Service, Central Arizona Fire & Medical Authority, and the City of Prescott Fire Department also provided updates on their activities.
This year’s meeting featured new presentations from AEGIS Insurance Services on changes in wildfire insurance for electric utilities nationwide. Pano AI introduced its AI-powered camera systems designed for rapid detection of wildfires. Myers said he was reassured by learning that there are now 51 Pano AI stations across Arizona with plans for 88 more: “Learning that Arizona now has 51 Pano AI stations located at strategic locations around the state…reassures me that Arizona is taking the right steps in wildfire mitigation.” He added that progress depends on collaboration among all stakeholders as well as adopting new technologies like those presented.
Those unable to attend can view recordings of the special meeting or access presentations by visiting the Commission’s website.
