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Xcel Energy considers planned outages in northern Colorado due to wildfire risk

By January 15, 2026 | updated 3 weeks ago

Power lines along a remote dirt road in Morgan County, Colo. Xcel Energy's Power Pathway project runs through this area. (The Denver Gazette, Scott Weiser)

Sunny skies and mild temperatures are on tap Thursday for Denver, but breezy winds and low relative humidity have meteorologists concerned about fire danger in Larimer and Weld counties and Colorado’s Eastern Plains.

The National Weather Service in Boulder has issued a Red Flag Warning for the I-25 corridor in Weld and Larimer counties, and across the Eastern Plains, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday as conditions are ripe for wildfires.

Winds in these areas could gust 35 to 50 mph, with a low relative humidity of 13 to 20%, meteorologists said.

Red Flag Warning on Jan. 15, 2026
A Red Flag Warning was issued for Larimer and Weld counties and much of Colorado’s Eastern Plains on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (National Weather Service in Boulder)

Xcel Energy on Wednesday warned that it was preparing to conduct a “targeted Public Safety Power Shutoff for about 9,000 customers in Larimer and Weld counties” on Thursday due to the potential for wildfires, according to a post on the energy provider’s official X account.

Parts of Fort Collins and communities to the north and west of the city were expected to be impacted by the planned outages.

Meteorologists said to expect a high of 62 degrees in Denver on Thursday. That’s about 18 degrees warmer than the average temperature for Jan. 15, according to historical data. The all-time record of 68 degrees is not expected to be in jeopardy.

Breezy winds are expected to pick up at 9 to 16 mph, gusting up to 25 mph in Denver, the weather service said.

Tonight, expect gusty winds to continue in Denver with a low temperature dipping around 24 degrees.

Daniel Boniface

Reporter

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