Wildfire always a threat in the North Valley

Local safety personnel on alert. Now, what should you do to be ready?

By Mark Reaman

Surrounded by millions of acres of federal land, much of it wilderness, Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley can be a prime candidate for a future wildfire — the area has been very lucky the last several years as more and more wildfires impact places like this. One has just to look at the Western Slope of Colorado this summer to see the potential. 

Local emergency personnel are very aware of the potential and there are plans and practices in place to deal with the situation if it occurs. Remember, this county is in Stage 2 fire restrictions right now.

“With the right set of circumstances, the North Valley is definitely a candidate for wildfire,” said Crested Butte Fire Protection District fire chief Rob Weisbaum. “All it takes is the right time, the right place and the right opportunity. Several areas in our district are considered high concern and carry an “extreme” fire rating. Most notable among them are Trapper’s Crossing and the Town of Gothic.”

For years, the Trapper’s Crossing subdivision has been known as a problem area if ever a wildfire was to occur in that area. Given its proximity to the town of Crested Butte, its heavy evergreen forest, along with its limited road access, Trapper’s is on the top of most lists of problem wildfire areas in the state. Weisbaum said that while literally years of mitigation work have reduced the risk, it remains a vulnerable area.

Working together with peers and the public…

But it’s not just Trapper’s Crossing. It can be anywhere in the county.

“Gunnison County stakeholders have collaborated to create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which prioritizes fuels reduction and vegetation management,” Weisbaum said. “In addition, public education and awareness remain key tools in reducing wildfire risk.”

Crested Butte chief marshal Mike Reily said coordination between various safety agencies in the county is important and ongoing.

“The preparedness and evacuation sections are covered in the County Disaster Plans which can be found on the Gunnison County website,” said Reily. 

“We are always looking to improve on the plan and recently completed a tabletop exercise with the county Emergency Management team where we worked through evacuations for a ‘wildfire’ up Kebler. On the second day of the exercise, we worked through protocols for a ‘wildfire’ outside of Marble. The lessons learned from those exercises will be implemented in our operations and eventually updated in the plan.”

Weisbaum agreed that coordination of regional safety personnel is productive. “During wildfire season, we meet every other week to review current resources, discuss any new fire starts and look at projected weather conditions,” he explained. “These meetings address the operational side of wildfire response. In addition, monthly stakeholder meetings are held to plan for long-term preparedness, public education, grant opportunities and strategies for living in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Each year, all key stakeholders adopt and sign the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), reinforcing our shared commitment to wildfire readiness.”

If there was a big one…

Weisbaum said if a major wildfire were to occur, several critical steps would be immediately implemented. “The Crested Butte Fire Protection District (CBFPD) would assess the incident, notify additional resources and begin firefighting operations. At the same time, the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) would be activated,” he explained. “The EOC coordinates emergency notifications, fields calls from the public and supports response efforts. Law enforcement would manage the organization and safety of evacuation routes. In terms of public notification, Gunnison County has transitioned from the old reverse-911/Code Red system to “Genasys,” a newer emergency alert platform. We strongly encourage all residents to register their phone numbers with Genasys so they receive timely emergency notifications in the event of a wildfire or other hazard. That can be done at https://gunnison.genasys.com/portal/en/register.

Given the tourism nature of summer, July with its major influx of people, presents a bigger threat than say September. “The biggest factor is simply more people, which means more opportunities for a fire to start,” pointed out Weisbaum. “Unfortunately, not everyone fully extinguishes their campfires before leaving, which can be a serious hazard. In addition, summer often brings an active storm season with lightning strikes that can spark wildfires. The key to being prepared as a resident is ‘Ready, Set, Go.’ There are many steps residents can take to be ready. Home-hardening strategies and creating defensible space can make a critical difference in saving a home. Having a family evacuation plan in place is also essential. More information can be found by searching ‘Ready, Set, Go Wildfire Plan’ on the Internet.” 

Impacts you might not think about…

Impacts from a major wildfire in the area would not end after the fire was out. Experts agree that a wildfire could be catastrophic to the town of Crested Butte’s drinking water supply and firefighting ability. Crested Butte obtains its drinking water from two surface water intakes in the Coal Creek Watershed, so the town of Crested Butte is working on a Wildfire Ready Action Plan (WRAP). Town engineer Carolyn de Groot is heading up the effort which she said will review the nearby watersheds, identify high hazard areas and look at best ways to protect the town’s drinking water sources (current and future).

“Post wildfire impacts that will cause an issue for both the drinking water and the Town of Crested Butte includes debris and post-wildfire flooding due to hydrophobic soils after fires and increased watershed debris,” she said. “The Town is also working on a secondary alternative water source with exploratory monitoring wells this summer. Hopefully design will happen next year. These areas are near the Slate River. This future water source will allow the town to be more resilient during natural disasters like wildfire and post-flooding. It is so valuable to have the input from the local stakeholders for the WRAP and we are relying on their collaboration. 

“The Water treatment plant is surrounded by aspen trees that slow fire and is in a low wildfire hazard area, but its water source is in the highest composite post-fire hazard including – wildfire, erosion, debris and roads by streams hazards,” de Groot continued. “The WRAP will outline important projects such as wildfire severity reduction and fuel breaks, road/stream crossings and riparian-and-floodplain enhancements to help catch debris in the watershed and of course protecting values at risk including the drinking water and Town.”

A public meeting was hosted on the issue by the town on August 6. It can be viewed on the town’s website under Public Works Projects.

So…stay aware!

Emergency personnel emphasize it is important for everyone to pay attention during wildfire season. They encourage residents to stay informed, ask questions and pay close attention to fire danger levels throughout the season—which continues to extend longer each year. Fire danger rating signs are posted throughout the area, and if you see a small red flag attached, that means a Red Flag Warning is in effect.

“It’s important to remember that our resources are limited,” concluded Weisbaum. “A major wildfire would quickly stretch local response capacity. That’s why we ask everyone to take a proactive approach: learn about defensible space, harden your home and understand the risks of living in the wildland-urban interface. Community awareness and preparation are some of the best tools we have to keep homes—and our valley—safer.”