Rich County fire warden warns of aging equipment, proposes county engine and radios; commissioners approve two radios

Travis Hobbs, Rich County fire warden, told the Rich County Commission that the county responded to 13 wildfire incidents last year and sought the commission’s backing for equipment and mitigation work, including buying a county engine and new radios.

Hobbs said the Dry Fork fire alone burned 1,341 acres — “924 of which was on BLM, 417 of private land” — and that “the cost on that fire is sitting at $1,093,064.” He also cited a separate solar-farm fire of 22.87 acres. The warden described aging vehicles across local volunteer districts and said some departments have had multiple breakdowns during responses.

Hobbs said recruitment and training are priorities. “I am happy to say we got 19, new, red card certified firefighters since June of last year,” he said, listing volunteers from Woodruff, Randolph, Laketown and Garden City. He told commissioners he plans more training and hopes to develop local engine-boss candidates so the county retains incident leadership capacity as older…