On March 12, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Wheat Belt Public Power District was alerted to a reported fire near the intersection of County Road 111 and County Road 212. This location is just a few miles southeast of Angora and only a short distance west of Wheat Belt's service territory. Given the extreme wind conditions that day, it was immediately clear that the fire would be difficult to contain. 

Crews were dispatched north of Broadwater in anticipation that the fire would enter Wheat Belt's service area. At the time, winds were sustained at 40 to 50 miles per hour with gusts reaching up to 70 miles per hour, creating extremely hazardous conditions for firefighters and utility personnel alike. 

The fire quickly advanced and reached Wheat Belt’s Covalt Substation, located north of Broadwater, crossing the North Circuit shortly after 4:00 p.m. For the safety of the fire crews working in the area, we were asked to de-energize the North Circuit. Our crews were able to isolate the line just north of the substation and re-energize portions of the circuit so fire crews could utilize a nearby well west of the substation to refill tanker trucks.

Fortunately, the fire remained far enough north to keep the East Circuit energized. This allowed irrigation pivots to continue operating for fire protection and enabled consumers to pump water to help protect their homes and property. 

As the fire continued moving east, it ultimately crossed approximately 100 miles of Wheat Belt's service territory, impacting lines served by four additional substations. By approximately 10:30 p.m., the fire had moved across much of Wheat Belt's Northern District into Arthur County and was rapidly approaching Highway 61 south of Arthur. 

During this time, wind conditions shifted and began blowing directly out of the north, pushing the fire toward more densely populated areas, including Oshkosh, Lewellen, and the Lake McConaughy area. As the night progressed, wind speeds began to subside, allowing fire crews to make significant progress in containing the blaze. Their efforts were nothing short of extraordinary.

The damage caused by the fire was extensive and deeply devastating. Our hearts go out to the consumers who suffered significant losses to property and livestock. 

In the days that followed, Wheat Belt crews worked tirelessly to replace damaged poles and restore electric service. Conditions remained challenging, with linemen wearing goggles and face masks to protect themselves from blowing ash and sand while working in the affected areas.

By Saturday, March 21, power had been restored to all inhabited residences except one location, where approximately five miles of line required complete replacement. Restoration efforts were supported by mutual aid from neighboring utilities, including Midwest Electric, Roosevelt Public Power District, and High West Energy. We are extremely grateful for their assistance.

We would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as restoration work continues. Some outages have been necessary to safely replace infrastructure damaged by the fire. To date, approximately 205 distribution poles and four sub-transmission poles have been replaced.

We remain hopeful for much-needed moisture to help the land begin to recover.

Finally, we would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the many individuals who supported our crews during this difficult time by providing water, drinks, food, cookies, and other supplies. Your generosity and kindness mean a great deal to our team as we continue restoration efforts.