With a red flag warning issued for the northern Interstate 25 corridor Tuesday by the National Weather Service’s Boulder office, Xcel Energy is warning of possible power outages later in the week as critical conditions are expected to continue.

Xcel Energy said in a post to X Monday afternoon that the company is preparing for severe weather beginning Thursday in Jefferson, Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. The post said high winds pose a risk of damage to power lines, which could bring power outages.

Xcel also encouraged customers to prepare for potential outages. 

Tuesday’s red flag warning was issued for the metro Denver area and the north end of the I-25 corridor. It will last from noon to 7 p.m. Meteorologists warn of increased fire risk later in the week beginning Thursday, with extremely critical conditions expected Friday and Saturday.

A red flag warning is issued when weather conditions are ideal for wildfires. For this week, a combination of warm, dry and breezy conditions means wildfires could be sparked and easily spread, according to NWS.

Xcel’s website shows enhanced powerline safety settings will be activated in Colorado, which allows for power lines to deactivate the flow of electricity if an issue is detected, such as if a tree branch is touching the line. These safety settings allow powerlines to remain active during periods of high wildfire risk and are a tool Xcel uses to mitigate wildfire risk.

Michelle Aguayo, an Xcel spokesperson, said the company is not utilizing a public safety power shutoff, as conditions are not expected to meet such criteria.

To prepare for a possible outage, Xcel encouraged customers to keep phones and other devices charged and prepare an outage kit that includes battery-powered items, including radios, flashlights and phone chargers, as well as water and non-perishable food and first aid kits.