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2026 Wildfire Mitigation for Utilities Conference

February 24 - 25, 2026 Reno, NV

"The caliber of guest speakers and their presentations is unrivaled. Details of historical, present, and future strategies and technologies employed were covered, including deep dives into forecasting modeling. This is a must for individuals in the utility industry to keep up with wildfire mitigation strategies!"

Electrical Engineer, California Department of Water Resources

"Really enjoyed hearing the lessons learned from other utilities in the west and things they are doing to move the wildfire and PSPS programs forward."

Project Manager, EWEB

"Good event for getting up to date on the impact of wildfires on the electrical systems of the western U.S."

Vegetation Supervisor, Pacificorp
Read more testimonials

"A very good opportunity for federal land managers to hear an industry and state perspective on wildfire risk mitigation."

US Department of the Interior

Wildfire risk has become a year-round, enterprise-level challenge for electric utilities, driving higher mitigation costs, increasing liability, and intensifying scrutiny from regulators, insurers, and customers. Leaders must make smarter, defensible decisions that reduce risk without sacrificing affordability or reliability.

This conference brings together utility leaders, technical experts, and risk and finance leaders to share real-world strategies for managing wildfire exposure in today’s constrained environment. Through candid peer discussions and case studies, attendees will explore how utilities are prioritizing grid hardening investments, modernizing vegetation management, leveraging AI and real-time situational awareness, and reducing reliance on disruptive PSPS events.

A strong focus on financial and regulatory realities runs throughout the program, with insights into liability management, cost recovery, and customer bill impacts. The agenda also addresses the operational and workforce side of wildfire resilience.

Join your peers to gain practical insights, validate your wildfire mitigation strategy, and leave with concrete actions to reduce risk and strengthen resilience.

Learning Outcomes

This conference will provide attendees an opportunity to:

  • Explain evolving federal and state wildfire mitigation regulations and describe how regulatory bodies assess utility performance, cost controls, and mitigation outcomes.
  • Summarize current national trends and best practices in Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMPs), including governance structures, accountability mechanisms, and compliance expectations.
  • Analyze recent wildfire events and industry data to identify emerging operational, financial, and regulatory challenges utilities are likely to face in 2026 and beyond.
  • Evaluate grid hardening options based on risk reduction benefits, cost implications, and system reliability impacts.
  • Apply AI-enabled situational awareness tools, high-resolution weather forecasting, and real-time data to improve ignition risk detection, operational decision-making, and emergency response.
  • Assess vegetation management strategies using data-driven approaches to optimize program effectiveness and budget allocation.
  • Analyze insurance market dynamics, wildfire liability exposure, and financial risk transfer strategies to determine their implications for long-term utility financial stability.
  • Evaluate wildfire mitigation cost recovery approaches, including regulatory filings, surcharge design, and customer communication strategies, to balance financial necessity with affordability and public trust.
  • Assess operational and technological strategies for reducing reliance on Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events while maintaining safety, regulatory compliance, and community outcomes.
  • Integrate emerging technologies and vendor solutions into existing wildfire mitigation programs to enhance risk assessment, operational resilience, and measurable performance outcomes.
  • Analyze public–private collaboration models to identify effective approaches for shared situational awareness, coordinated response, and long-term wildfire readiness.
  • Apply best practices in workforce training, field operations, mutual aid coordination, and decision-support technologies to improve safety and effectiveness in high-risk wildfire environments.
  • Evaluate internal and external communication strategies to strengthen stakeholder engagement, regulatory confidence, and public trust before, during, and after wildfire events.

Register

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

This event has passed and cannot be registered for. If you would like to see if this event will be offered again please reach out to [email protected]

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before January 23, 2026 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Day one

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Day two

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Agenda

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Reno, NV

Registration & Breakfast

8:30 AM

Group Luncheon

12:30 - 1:15 PM

Adjourn for the day

6:00 PM

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration & Breakfast

9:00 - 9:05 AM

Welcome Remarks

Zeina Randall VP, Energy Delivery NV Energy

9:05 - 9:40 AM

Opening Panel: Shifting the Risk Curve in 2026

Regulators discuss how wildfire mitigation strategies are adapting under mounting pressures, from escalating risk and recovery costs to tightening regulatory expectations. The discussion will center on:

  • Lessons from 2025 wildfire events
  • Balancing safety, customer impacts, and affordability
  • Aligning technical solutions with financial realities

Moderator: Caroline Thomas Jacobs Director, Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety State of California

Amy Andrews Energy Policy Advisor Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission

Heide Caswell Division Administrator-Safety, Reliability & Security Oregon Public Utility Commission

9:40 - 10:00 AM

Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans and Trends

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has published extensively on utility wildfire mitigation plans and the governance, finance and industry trends that connect them.  This presentation will summarize the findings of the national Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plan database, which makes available all public WMPs along with citable analyses and an AI research assistant; as well as a brand new publication, Current Best Practices on Wildfire Risk Reduction for Electric Transmission and Distribution Systems, issued in fulfillment of the June 2025 Executive Order.

Rebecca O’Neil Research Principal, Infrastructure Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

10:00 - 10:15 AM

Networking Break

10:15 - 11:15 AM

Grid Hardening Trade-Offs: Undergrounding vs. Targeted Resilience

From undergrounding to advanced conductor coatings and fire-resistant poles, utilities face complex choices when prioritizing grid hardening investments. This session presents comparative case studies and data-driven insights on how utilities justify the costs.

Scott Holmes Chief Technology Officer Resilient Structures

Tom Chou Utility Engineer and Wildfire Mitigation Manager Bear Valley Electric Service

Jordan Ambrogi Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager CORE

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM

AI & Real-Time Situational Awareness

Utilities are leveraging drones, satellite imagery, and AI-powered fire modeling to anticipate ignition risks and make faster, data-informed operational decisions. This session highlights how advanced situational awareness tools are reducing risk exposure, improving coordination, and protecting both assets and communities.

Moderator: Jeff Gawrych Utility Solutions Advisor Western Weather Group

Michael Haydon Director, Wildfire Mitigation Situational Awareness Xcel Energy

Wade Ward Manager, Wildfire Mitigation APS

Ravi Nair Sr Manager, Asset Health & Performance Center PG&E Distribution Grid Ops

Alex Hoon Principal Meteorologist NV Energy

12:15 - 12:30 PM

20 Years of Modeling and Simplifying Natural Hazard Threats To Utility Assets

Chuck Parker VP Sales – Americas Indji Systems

12:30 - 1:15 PM

Group Luncheon

1:15 - 1:50 PM

Vegetation Management 2.0: Data-Driven Approaches

As vegetation remains a leading ignition risk, utilities are reimagining programs through technology. Learn how lidar mapping, predictive growth models, and risk-based trimming cycles are helping utilities optimize budgets, extend maintenance intervals, and deliver measurable reductions in fire potential.

Adam Pahls Sr Manager, Wildfire Mitigation Evergy

Peter Stoltman Senior Manager, Wildfire Prevention Liberty Utilities

1:50 - 2:30 PM

Insurance, Liability & Financial Exposure

With insurers retreating and wildfire liabilities mounting, how are utilities recalibrating risk management strategies? This session details how proactive mitigation strategies can reduce exposure and strengthen long-term financial stability.

Eric Macomber Wildfire Legal Fellow Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment’s Climate and Energy Policy Program

2:30 - 3:00 PM

Networking Break

3:00 - 3:45 PM

Cost Recovery & Customer Affordability

Gaining approval for wildfire mitigation cost recovery remains a major challenge. This session delivers real-world experiences navigating regulatory filings, designing surcharge mechanisms, and managing customer communications, offering practical insights into how to balance financial necessity with public trust.

Paul Marconi President Bear Valley Electric Service

Eric Schwarzrock President Liberty Utilities

Cody Warner Project Scientist, Haas Business School University of California, Berkeley

3:45 - 4:10 PM

From Prediction to Prioritization: How NV Energy Leverages Advanced Fire Spread Modeling for Operations & Grid Hardening

Learn how NV Energy models fire spread and probability to inform critical emergency de-energization decisions - illustrated by a detailed case study of the 2024 Davis Fire - and how these same modeling capabilities are leveraged for multi-year grid resilience. By integrating consequence-informed data into their workflow, NV Energy has been able to answer the fundamental question of where to begin, prioritizing vegetation management and infrastructure projects in the areas of highest risk to maximize community safety and operational reliability.

Alex Hoon Principal Meteorologist NV Energy

Pavel Grechanuk Sr. Wildfire Risk Data Scientist Technosylva

4:10 - 4:35 PM

Weather for Utilities: Importance of High-Resolution Models, Visualization and Alerting

Join Meteomatics and NorthWestern Energy as they will discuss the use of weather data in wildfire mitigation across a vast service territory of over 600+ sub-regions.  Understand the power of high resolution weather modeling and how a visualization tool like MetX can be a custom fit to drill down to certain local regions that require their own thresholds that trigger alerts up to 46 hours prior to an extreme weather event.

Christopher Hyde Meteorologist | Sr. Account Executive Meteomatics

Matt Sargent Meteorologist NorthWestern Energy

4:35 - 5:00 PM

Keeping Wildfire Mitigation Simple: A Practical Independent Evaluator’s Perspective

With today’s existing and new regulation as it pertains to development and maintenance of Wildfire Mitigation Plans and implementation of Rules associated with WMPs, it is critically important to keep it simple. Simple is generally a long way from our ming when we are deeply involved in outlining regulatory policies, actionable WMPs, setting goals and objective, identifying strategies, challenges, trends…

This 30-minute discussion will provide insight through the eyes of an experienced Independent Evaluator (IE) and fire industry professional.

Lisa M. Beaver, PE Director Risk, Fire & Life Safety Bureau Veritas

5:00 - 6:00 PM

Networking Reception

Agenda

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Reno, NV

Networking Breakfast

8:30

Adjourn for the day

12:30 PM

8:30 - 9:00 AM

Networking Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 AM

The Evolution of the WMP

This session explores how the Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) has transformed over time from both regulatory and utility perspectives.

  • Challenges
  • Successes
  • Where we should head in the coming years

Jay Leyno Director, Wildfire Mitigation PMO PG&E

Melissa Semcer Executive Consultant PG&E

9:30 - 10:15 AM

Smarter, Shorter PSPS: Reducing Reliance on Shutoffs

Moderator: Nik Philipsen Principal Product Manager Technosylva

Amita Singh Senior Manager, PSPS Product Management PG&E

Macy Campbell Director, Natural Disaster Protection NV Energy

Mareldi Ahumada-Paras Research Scientist Stanford Climate and Energy Policy Program

10:15 - 10:40

Transforming Wildfire Risk Intelligence Into Actionable Insight

Holly Eggleston, PhD CEO and Founder Firescape

10:40 - 10:55 AM

Networking Break

10:55 - 11:20 AM

Building Resilient Communities: Public–Private Collaboration in Wildfire Readiness

This session will explore how utilities are advancing wildfire mitigation through coordinated partnerships and shared situational awareness. Drawing on case studies from several Western States, this session will examine how collaborative models—whether state-led or utility-driven—support early detection, faster response, and proactive landscape restoration to reduce risk and build resilience. The discussion will highlight practical approaches to aligning missions across sectors and jurisdictional boundaries, integrating data, science, and technology into mitigation strategies, and establishing effective data-sharing frameworks. The session will also address regulatory and governance considerations that enable joint action and long-term program sustainability. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how public–private-NGO collaboration can strengthen wildfire preparedness and enhance community resilience.

Derrick Davis Principal Risk Analyst Pacific Gas and Electric Company Wildfire Resilience Partnerships

Brian Kittler Chief Program Officer Resilient Forests

11:20 - 11:50 AM

Balancing Wildfire Mitigation with Customer Rates & Reliability: The Role of Active Grid Response

Utilities and Regulatory Commissions across the West are faced with increasing wildfire risk, decreasing customer affordability for electric rates, and decreasing reliability from aging systems and public safety power shutoffs. This session will summarize how these impacts are affecting the West, how various jurisdictions have approached this complicated cost-benefit problem, and how Active Grid Response can balance the scales.

Jessie Calderon Director of Regulatory Affairs & Policy Gridware

11:50 AM - 12:30 PM

Beyond the Fireline: Workforce, Field Operations & Communication in High-Risk Environments

As wildfire threats intensify, utilities must rethink how they prepare and protect their people, manage operations in extreme conditions, and maintain public trust. This closing session brings together utility leaders and field experts to explore the intersection of workforce readiness, decision-support technologies, and communication strategies. Discussion will cover:

  • Advanced training and simulation programs for crews in wildfire-prone areas
  • Decision-support tools, AI, and remote operations for faster, safer response
  • Mutual aid models and inter-utility collaboration under resource strain
  • Strengthening public and stakeholder communications before, during, and after fire events

Steven Chen CEO & Founder Treeswift

Zeina Randall VP, Energy Delivery NV Energy

Speakers

Mareldi Ahumada-Paras

Research Scientist
Stanford Climate and Energy Policy Program

Jordan Ambrogi

Wildfire Mitigation Program Manager
CORE

Amy Andrews

Energy Policy Advisor
Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission

Lisa M. Beaver, PE

Director Risk, Fire & Life Safety
Bureau Veritas

Jessie Calderon

Director of Regulatory Affairs & Policy
Gridware

Macy Campbell

Director, Natural Disaster Protection
NV Energy

Steven Chen

CEO & Founder
Treeswift

Tom Chou

Utility Engineer and Wildfire Mitigation Manager
Bear Valley Electric Service

Derrick Davis

Principal Risk Analyst
Pacific Gas and Electric Company Wildfire Resilience Partnerships

Jeff Gawrych

Utility Solutions Advisor
Western Weather Group

Pavel Grechanuk

Sr. Wildfire Risk Data Scientist
Technosylva

Michael Haydon

Director, Wildfire Mitigation Situational Awareness
Xcel Energy

Scott Holmes

Chief Technology Officer
Resilient Structures

Alex Hoon

Principal Meteorologist
NV Energy

Christopher Hyde

Meteorologist, Sr. Account Executive
Meteomatics

Brian Kittler

Chief Program Officer
Resilient Forests

Jay Leyno

Director, Wildfire Mitigation PMO
PG&E

Eric Macomber

Wildfire Legal Fellow
Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment’s Climate and Energy Policy Program

Paul Marconi

President
Bear Valley Electric Service

Ravi Nair

Sr Manager, Asset Health & Performance Center
PG&E Distribution Grid Ops

Adam Pahls

Sr Manager, Wildfire Mitigation
Evergy

Zeina Randall

VP, Energy Delivery
NV Energy

Matt Sargent

Meteorologist
NorthWestern Energy

Eric Schwarzrock

President
Liberty Utilities

Melissa Semcer

Executive Consultant
PG&E

Amita Singh

Senior Manager, PSPS Product Management
PG&E

Caroline Thomas Jacobs

Director, Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety
State of California

Wade Ward

Manager, Wildfire Mitigation
APS

Cody Warner

Project Scientist
Haas Business School, University of California, Berkeley

Call For Speakers

We are accepting applications for qualified speakers for this conference! If you are interested in speaking opportunities, please email Dana Waldrop at [email protected]

Location

Whitney Peak Hotel Reno
255 N Virginia St
Reno NV 89501

Nearby Hotels/Airports

Continuing Education Credits

IACET

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EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.8 CEUs for this event

Verify our IACET accreditation

Who recognizes IACET Credits?

Requirements for Successful Completion of Program

Participants must sign in/out each day and be in attendance for the entirety of the course to be eligible for continuing education credit.

 

Instructional Methods

Case Studies, Panel Discussions, and PowerPoint presentations will be used in the program.

CPE

Upon successful completion of this event, program participants interested in receiving CPE credits will receive a certificate of completion.

Conference CPE Credits: 9.0
There is no prerequisite for this conference.
Program field of study: Specialized Knowledge
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
Advanced Preparation: None

CpeEUCI is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org

CLE

Only registered attendees can request CLE credits for an EUCI course/event. Please email [email protected] prior to the course start date and list the state where you are licensed and your bar# as well as the name and date of your course/event in your request, and someone will be in contact.

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