Objectives
In recent years, the ignition of a number of large wildfires have been caused by the electrical power grid. Conversely, a number of either unplanned or preemptive power outages have resulted from wildfires or the risk of wildfire. Historically, wildfires were never seen as a widespread threat to the power grid. However, more recent assessments, like the National Academy of Sciences' 2017 publication Enhancing the Resilience of The Nation's Electricity System, suggest climate change -- and the subsequent escalation in wildfire frequency -- has made fire a significant threat, meriting increased research and preparedness.

Today, more than ever before, the health, prosperity and basic daily lives of Americans are irrevocably tied to electricity. Without electricity Americans lose not only lights in their homes, but the ability to make purchases, pump gas, conduct business across the Internet, and work in any of the multitude of technology-enabled fields. While wildfires are not the only threat to America's power grid, it is a growing threat that must be better understood if its vulnerabilities are to be properly managed and mitigated.