The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“We need the soakers not the teasers….”
Don’t be lulled into thinking that the fire danger is diminishing just because the valley has received a few sprinkles and even a downpour or two in the last week. The entire area is still under Stage 2 fire restrictions. Those restrictions basically prohibit any fires, including charcoal grills, campfires and any fireworks. In some respects, those little storms are increasing the danger when lightning accompanies the brief rain showers.
In fact at least two area fires were started from lightning strikes. One up Steuben Creek near Blue Mesa Reservoir burned about a half acre before being extinguished. Another near Rainbow Lake was started in a remote area that necessitated smoke jumpers parachuting in to contain the fire, along with a slurry drop. About three acres were burned before that fire was extinguished. A truck caught fire up Kebler Pass Road last Thursday. That could have been disastrous if the flames had spread before Crested Butte firefighters got to the scene to put out the fire.
“We’ve been lucky and good. People have generally been very good about following the fire restrictions,” said Gunnison Basin Wildfire Council chairman Dennis Spritzer. “Hopefully we can keep that trend going until the monsoon season starts up. Crested Butte did a great job with the car fire and the Forest Service handled the Rainbow Lake fire. It’s still very extreme out there.”
It’s so extreme that the town councils for both Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte have plans to pass emergency ordinances this week reflecting the strict county fire restriction measures.
Crested Butte Chief Marshal Tom Martin said, “It’s essential that local area residents and visitors comply with the Stage 2 fire restrictions. One carelessly tossed cigarette butt or lighting off of a firework could have tragic consequences for the community.”
Martin added, “The most important thing that people can do is abide by the fire restrictions, take precautions and prepare for the possibility of an evacuation.”
Mt. Crested Butte Police Chief Hank Smith emphasized the seriousness of the situation. “It would take one careless person to start something that could literally turn into a disaster,” he said. “We will be vigilant about making sure people don’t start fires and if we catch someone doing so, they will be given a citation and fined.”
The fine will be $500 for the first offense and $800 for the second. Both towns cited the need for the emergency fire ordinances for “the immediate preservation of the public health and safety based on the current and extreme high danger of fires in the Town and surrounding areas.”
“I went camping up Cement Creek last weekend and all the grasses are brown,” said Spritzer. “The rain is long gone. It took some of the edge off but not much. It is still very dry out there. Everywhere you walk is crunchy. It’s not good at all. It’s back to a dangerous situation.”
Spritzer said the camping experience is still pretty nice in the valley, even without a campfire. “The nights are warm and the night sky is great,” he said. “The bottom line is that we are still on pins and needles out there concerning the fire danger. We need the monsoons that normally kick in sometime in July. Frankly we could use a few storms of biblical proportions. We need the soakers, not the teasers.”
Local safety officials have met regularly to prepare for a wildfire situation. According to a Crested Butte town notice, a continuously running siren from the Crested Butte Fire Hall or continuously running police vehicle sirens indicate that there is a wildfire situation unfolding. Continuously running sirens indicate that information is being disseminated to the public. If you hear the sirens, tune into KBUT radio at 90.3 FM, the Cave at 97.1 or CBTV Channel 10 for the latest information on a fire situation. Reverse 911 is a system used for notification in both wildfire and other emergency situations. The Reverse 911 system is used to call both cell phones and landlines.
But local safety officials emphasize that everyone should be prepared in case a wildfire gets out of control in the valley. They have stated clearly that people will be responsible for their own property and pets. Have an evacuation plan handy and be ready to leave quickly if the emergency unfolds. It can happen fast and it will be chaotic. Let’s just hope we don’t have to find out how chaotic.
To get your number registered for the Reverse 991 system, go to www.gunnisoncounty.org and click on the Emergency Management tab on the left side of the page.
