Friday, August 14, 2026 / South Eugene and EWEB High Fire Risk Zone
EWEB's wildfire settings trade faster shutoffs for slower returns
High-sensitivity equipment remains active through summer in the utility's High Fire Risk Zone.
A branch touching a line in EWEB's High Fire Risk Zone can now produce more than a quick interruption. Wildfire-safety settings make equipment shut off faster when it senses trouble, and crews must visually inspect the affected line before restoring power.
EWEB says the settings will remain through summer. The tradeoff is inconvenient on purpose: slower restoration reduces the chance that damaged electrical equipment starts a fire. Customers in those zones may see outages happen more often and last longer.
Households that rely on powered medical equipment should review backup-power plans. EWEB also offers enhanced support for qualifying high-risk-zone customers with serious medical conditions.
Field notes
What changed: EWEB has confirmed that wildfire-safety settings remain active through summer in its High Fire Risk Zone.
Why it matters: The settings reduce ignition risk but require line inspections before restoration, which can extend an outage.
Who may be affected: EWEB customers in the utility's High Fire Risk Zone, especially households dependent on powered medical equipment.