The company that provides electricity to much of the West Kootenay had 479 outages in 2025. Of those, FortisBC says 203 were weather-related (due to high winds or heavy snow) and 276 were caused by trees falling onto power lines.
It all contributed to more than 100,000 hours of outage time across the company’s electrical system, which stretches from the West Kootenay to the Okanagan to the Similkameen. And it has FortisBC asking you to be take steps to get ready in case the lights go out.
“Most power outages are restored relatively quickly, but major storms can create additional challenges, sometimes leading to longer or more widespread outages,” public safety manager Ada Nadison said in a news release.
“That’s why preparing before severe weather arrives is so important. Taking a few simple steps now can help customers stay safe and better manage an outage should one occur.”
FortisBC said it works year-round to prepare for severe weather and reduce the chances of outages, including vegetation management around power lines, maintaining and upgrading electrical infrastructure and preparing crews and response plans.
Customers can also get ahead of outages by creating or refreshing 72-hour emergency kits with food, water, flashlights, batteries, and first-aid supplies. You can also get ahead of severe weather by charging your cell phones, power banks, and backup batteries and identifying alternate power sources for medical devices or other essential equipment.
They also suggest learning how to manually operate garage doors, gates, and other powered entry systems, and staying informed by signing up for outage notifications and checking the FortisBC mobile app and outage map.
When severe weather damages electrical infrastructure, restoring power can involve more than a single repair, the company said. Major storms can affect multiple parts of the electrical system at once, requiring crews to assess damage and complete repairs before service can be fully restored.
“While every storm is different, significant weather events can create more complex outages than customers may experience day to day,” said Nadison.
Storms can also leave dangerous electrical hazards behind. You should always assume a downed power line is energized, stay at least 10 metres away (about the length of a school bus), and call 911 or FortisBC immediately. Never touch or try to move a tree, branch or any other object in contact with a power line.
