Building the Integrated Wildfire Strategy

Balancing Reliability, Affordability and Acceptable Risk

A Grid Forward Summit
March 24-25, 2027
Albuquerque, NM

Moving Utilities to a Unified Approach to Mitigating Wildfire Risk

Join Grid Forward and its community as we broaden our focus beyond individual pilots and case studies to the current challenge: how utilities and their partners can integrate layered wildfire mitigation strategies into day-to-day operations and long-term planning. We’ll work together to find the right balance of reliability, affordability, and resilience in a world where wildfire risk “can never be zero.”

Grid Forward Wildfire Summit
March 25, 2027
Afternoon reception and demos March 24, 2027
Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort
Albuquerque, NM

Download the preliminary prospectus >

Click here to register for the summit >

Weaving Point Solutions into a Pervasive Strategy

It became clear in our 2025 Wildfire Symposium: a strategy to mitigate wildfire impacts can’t rely on a portfolio of isolated tools and techniques. Utilities must take a layered approach that integrates detection, hardening, operational, and response solutions into a cohesive, practical, and cost-effective strategy. In turn, this requires evolving internal capabilities and working across organizational and jurisdictional boundaries to manage risks beyond the utility’s direct control.

We’ll explore pathways to incorporate advanced capabilities like these:

  • Modeling, mapping, forecasting and next-gen visualization
  • Situational awareness and real-time monitoring
  • Automated controls and grid architecture
  • Cost-effective grid hardening, resilient components and layered mitigation approaches
  • Vegetation management with enhanced maintenance and inspection

We will also cover cross-functional topics such as:

  • First responder engagement and community empowerment
  • Change management, interoperability and cross-organizational coordination and readiness
  • Understanding, calculating and managing risk and insurance impacts
  • Evolving utility operations and workforce capabilities

One Day Focused on Building Your One Unified Approach

The Wildfire Summit on March 25, 2026 will be an intensive day full of leading-edge insights and practical information to advance wildfire strategy and practices.

  • Panels exploring integrated wildfire strategies, evolving utility operations, risk management, affordability and regulatory considerations
  • Small-group huddle discussions on new technology, organization approaches and partnering
  • Examples of applied plans and practices working today in the field
  • Networking with experts on the front lines of wildfire risk mitigation
  • PLUS a “Warm-Up” gathering on the afternoon of March 24, with networking, demos, beverages and food

Act Now to Sponsor or Participate in the 2027 Wildfire Summit

Grid Forward has appreciated the very positive feedback from our 2025 Wildfire Symposium, so we expect a ready group of sponsors and program team members going into our 2027 event. If your organization would like to be a sponsor for the 2027 Wildfire Summit, download the prospectus now, review it and then contact Bryce.

With a target of about 200 attendees, we expect the Summit to sell out, as all our recent events have done. If you are certain you would like to attend, you can register now for the Summit and ensure your seat. Click here for the registration page >

Click the image to download the 2027 Wildfire Summit preliminary prospectus

The Grid Forward 2025 Wildfire Symposium: Some of our Speakers

Eric Blank

Chairman, Colorado Public Utilities Commission

Bryan Hannegan

President and CEO, Holy Cross Energy

David Heller

VP, Enterprise Risk Management and General Auditor, Edison International/SCE

Robert S. Kenney

President, Xcel Energy’s Colorado Operating Company

Jay Leyno

Director Wildfire Mitigation PMO, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

Randy Lyle

Founder and Principal, Wildfire Mitigation Strategies

Madeleine Moyano

Policy Consultant, Rhizome

Ryan Murphy

Director of Electric Operations, Puget Sound Energy

Theodore Paradise

Chief Policy & Grid Strategy Officer, CTC Global

Ann Rendahl

Commissioner, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

Lisa Stannis

Senior Director of Marketing and Business Development, Sharper Shape

Dave Winnacker

Fire Chief (ret), Policy Advisor, Western Fire Chiefs Association

Grid Forward 2025 Wildfire Symposium Supporters