Wildfire experts predict a dry June on Western Slope

Limited resources…for now

[  By Katherine Nettles  ]

As June approaches, regional fire management officials are expecting it to be a dry month with potentially limited wildfire response resources. During an annual U.S. Forest Service Gunnison Ranger District Wildland Fire Management meeting on May 10, Gunnison County commissioners heard an update from Gunnison Ranger District officials, including new Gunnison District Ranger Dayle Funka. The message was one of overall caution and a glimpse of hope that monsoons, which came just in time last year, might return in July of this year. Meanwhile state funding has just come through for the West Region Wildfire Council (WRWC) to bolster its regional risk reduction program, which can include residential and public spaces.  

During the May 10 meeting fire management officer for the Gunnison Ranger District Patrick Medina recapped that monsoon season of higher rainfall last summer helped the Gunnison Ranger District tremendously to manage wildfire risk. He said there are also some indicators that July monsoons might return this year. In the meantime, he said June can be a dry and dangerous month—and monsoons are certainly not guaranteed to follow. 

Medina reported that in 2021 the Gunnison Ranger District responded to about 20 fire starts, but none of them were very large. About eight of those were human caused, whether by a chain dragging from a trailer, a burnt-out tire or an unextinguished campfire. Medina said there is also a correlation between the number of people visiting the forest and the number of fires.  

Overall, Medina said, “We feel we were fortunate. And so many of those fires were next to roads, making access much faster and easier for us. That is so unusual.” He said the starts that were not as easily accessible to responders almost all happened during the rains and got put out or at least kept at bay naturally by the precipitation. But he cautioned that the area cannot count on such good fortune going forward. 

“What really was the saving grace for us in terms of large fire was the monsoon; we did get some moisture that came in and helped us. Also, we were boosted with outside resources. We typically do that when we have burn indices above the 90th percentile,” continued Medina. The Forest Service has a system where local agencies can tap in to regional or even national resources to staff up for potential responses. 

Medina said not to expect the same wildfire response resources this summer, at least not right away as staffing shortages are affecting the entire agency and fires in other areas might further deplete personnel. 

“We’re struggling,” said Medina of current staffing. “There are just not enough individuals with the right level of qualifications. We are struggling as an agency to fill our positions.”

Meanwhile, he said, “Our forests are changing,” with increasing beetle kill and standing dead trees, and less diversity.

Medina cited the great partnerships with the county and with community leadership, and the importance of continuing the dialogue. Newly appointed Gunnison District ranger Funka also attended the meeting, and said she looks forward to collaborating. Funka has worked in the Gunnison District Range for several years with former district ranger Matt McCombs. 

On May 17, commissioners signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the WRWC and Gunnison County Emergency Services to accept and administer funding from the state for wildfire prevention. The Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management awarded $300,000 to the WRWC through Senate Bill 21 to increase wildfire risk reduction programs. Gunnison County is the sub-recipient of that funding, and the MOU will work to develop and expand programs from that in the coming months. 

Commissioner chairperson Jonathan Houck said he appreciated that “although this work is getting a lot of bandwidth right now, it has been ongoing for many years.”