Power Outage Hits Downtown Wenatchee After Pole Fire

Over 400 Chelan PUD customers are without power after a power pole caught fire near the Liberty Theater, causing traffic lights to go down between 1st and 5th streets along Chelan Avenue in downtown Wenatchee.

What Caused the Power Pole Fire

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Chelan PUD said the pole caught fire around 2:50 p.m. Spokesperson Rachel Hansen said the pole caught fire after the recent stretch of dry weather ended this morning.

Hansen explained that debris and dust gather on the pole during a dry stretch, and the rain conducts electricity, creating a fire.

PUD crews are on scene and expect the outage to be fixed just before 6 p.m.

Traffic Safety During Power Outages

Officials say that when there is a power outage impacting traffic lights, treat every light as if it were a four-way stop.

You can check the real-time Chelan PUD Outage Portal for updates.