Possible power shutoffs, trail closures Saturday as high winds return
Coloradans are getting ready for round two of hurricane force winds. Xcel Energy says it could shut off sections of the grid when those winds kick up again on Saturday.
The Root Kava Co is the quintessential Boulder hangout spot. They had plans for this weekend. A Super Smash Bros. tournament and lots of chill vibes, but they will need to close if the power is cut.
"We serve kava, kratom and kanna, known as alcohol alternatives," said Tekoa Williams, the general manager of The Root. "It gives people a place to study and hang out with their friends or meet new people."
But all of that will be put on the back burner for now because starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, they likely won't have any power. Xcel Energy said it will likely need to turn off power in large parts of Boulder and Jefferson Counties due to forecasted strong winds.
Williams says he was unaware of the possible shutoff.
"This is the first time I heard about it. Yeah. I feel like last year, when they did it, there was a lot more widespread known for people. But this one is kind of out of the blue," said Williams.
But businesses aren't the only thing closing on Saturday.
"A couple of things that the city and the county are doing are closing open space, for visitors, this is specifically for fire prevention as well as visitor safety," said Jamie Barker, the Public Information Officer for Boulder Fire Rescue and Office of Disaster Management.
They say they worry about trees and debris falling on hikers. One hiker and longtime resident says it's unusual but smart.
"I think it's probably a good idea. It's the first time I've ever known that to happen since I've been here," said Dawn Kairns.
But at The Root, the mood is more somber, as they now must plan to close early.
"With the power shutting down, we'll have to shut the business down. And that's just what it's got to be. You know, there's not much we can do if we can't have lights on and check people out with our POS," said Williams.
Xcel says it doesn't know when power will be restored if it goes out, so Boulder County and the City of Boulder say residents should be prepared. Charge up, fuel up, and have a safe place to go in case of an emergency.
