Industry News

Wildfire season is no longer reserved for Californians. Climate change is expanding the threat, and regions across the United States are facing increasingly severe wildfires and longer, more dangerous fire seasons. In response, more and more utilities are getting serious about upgrading their wildfire monitoring and response capabilities.

Northwestern Energy, which serves customers in Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska, has adopted the MetX platform from weather intelligence and technology company Meteomatics to keep a close eye on critical fire indicators like wind speed, humidity, temperature, and dryness on a sub-hourly basis. Northwestern’s service area includes 626 high-risk weather zones where conditions can shift rapidly, and MetX enables earlier action to help reduce the risk of service interruptions and infrastructure damage.

“Knowing that wind will hit 45 miles per hour is one thing,” said Matthew Sargent, meteorologist at NorthWestern Energy. “Seeing it visualized with charts and multiple forecast models helps us make better decisions.”

Renderings from the MetX platform highlight wildfire threats. Courtesy: Meteomatics

The MetX platform aggregates data from more than 25 global and regional sources and presents it in accessible visual formats. This supports decision-making across departments, including vegetation management and line maintenance, and informs considerations such as Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPSs).

“We needed a weather intelligence solution that could keep pace with our operational demands,” assessed Shane Colman, manager of wildfire situational awareness at NorthWestern Energy. “MetX equips us to make timely, informed decisions that prioritize customer safety.”

A map shows the Fosbergy Fire Index alongside U.S. power transmission lines. Courtesy: Meteomatics

The platform also allows NorthWestern Energy to set custom alert thresholds, such as low humidity combined with high winds, and automatically notify NorthWestern’s Meteorologist and Situational Awareness Team when those conditions are met, improving response times and coordination.

“As climate variability increases, so does the importance of accurate, actionable weather data,” said Martin Fengler, CEO of Meteomatics. “This collaboration is focused on using data to help safeguard communities and infrastructure over the long term.”

Read more about Northwestern Energy and Meteomatics’ work together here.