Residents praise firefighters, urge county to oppose high-volume state park plan for Sweetwater Lake area

At the Sept. 8 Garfield County commissioners meeting several residents from the Sweetwater Lake area thanked county staff, volunteer and professional firefighters, sheriff’s office personnel and airport and communications teams for their work during recent fires and asked the county to resist a high-volume state park designation for Sweetwater Lake.

Multiple residents told the board the Sweetwater firehouse — recently supported by county funding — functioned as a 24/7 staging and supply hub during the Elk and Lee fires and helped protect hundreds of structures. A resident said the addition of satellite Internet (Starlink) during the fires provided critical communications support and asked the county to consider long-term funding to maintain connectivity.

Speakers also said the recent fires demonstrated that a high number of visitors to Sweetwater Lake during an incident would have increased public-safety risks. They urged commissioners to continue to oppose a state-park management option that could encourage larger visitor numbers; several speakers said the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) review by the Forest Service was ongoing and that county comments had urged reduced preferred alternatives that limit access and development.

Commissioners and staff thanked residents and firefighters; staff said county comments on the NEPA process and other planning matters remain in the record and that county officials would continue to monitor Forest Service actions.

What’s next: residents said they will continue to engage in the NEPA process and asked county officials to oppose high-volume state-park proposals. County staff said they had included residents’ input in filings and remain in contact with the Forest Service and sheriff’s office regarding public-safety planning.