Custer County adopts resolution to initiate Title III-funded study of wildfire evacuation routes

The Custer County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 30 adopted Resolution 25‑37 to initiate a project to study wildfire evacuation routes and related planning using funds from Title III of the Secure Rural Schools program.

Supporters said the study would give the sheriff actionable evacuation modeling and scenario data; opponents questioned whether the expenditure fits Title III’s allowable uses and whether the county should first update its community wildfire protection plan (CWPP).

The resolution, described at the meeting as initiating a project to study evacuation routes in conjunction with potential wildfires affecting U.S. Forest Service land and to use Title III funds allocated under the federal Secure Rural Schools program, was presented for a vote after public comment and staff discussion. After debate, commissioners called the question and the resolution passed by voice vote; no nays or abstentions were recorded.

County Attorney Dan Slater said the Title III funding language is broad and, in his reading, would allow projects that assist in developing or carrying out a community wildfire protection plan and other firewise mitigation efforts. "Quite frankly, the ability to use these funds is both broad and perhaps sadly not particularly well monitored by the United States Forest Service," Slater said.

Emergency management officials and members of the public urged the board to approve the study. "A modeling study can give the sheriff actionable data on when to trigger pre‑evacuation or mandatory evacuation alerts and how to deploy resources," said John Van Dorn of Westcliff, who identified himself as a member of the community wildfire protection planning team. Van Dorn described modeling that simulates multiple fire scenarios and wind conditions to estimate vehicle movement and chokepoints.

Robin Kanathy, Custer County emergency management director, said evacuation planning can be included as an annex to a CWPP or to an emergency operations plan. "A community wildfire protection plan can have an annex that would address evacuation," Kanathy said, while noting the county does not currently have an up‑to‑date countywide CWPP.

Some commenters questioned the return on investment for the proposed study. Meeting remarks noted a $48,000 traffic modeling figure for the project, and at least one speaker said that without an updated CWPP the county may be putting "the cart before the horse." Meeting speakers also pointed to recent state legislation on evacuation modeling (identified in public remarks as House Bill 23‑1075) and to small‑county resource constraints.

Commissioners discussed improving internal Title III oversight and meeting more regularly on CWPP priorities. One commissioner said the board would aim to make Title III allocations a recurring, quarterly discussion so funds and projects are planned earlier in the year rather than initiated at the last minute.

Public commenters discussed related planning and grant history, describing an earlier county hazard mitigation plan prepared with FEMA approval (referenced as a 2017 plan in public comments and as FEMA‑approved in 2023) and urging the board to coordinate hazard mitigation, CWPP updates and evacuation planning so studies and mapping are integrated rather than siloed.

The board directed that Resolution 25‑37 be adopted as presented and the initiation of the Title III project proceed; staff and emergency management were discussed as likely collaborators for implementation and for integrating study outputs into broader planning.

Votes at the meeting were taken by voice; commissioners identified on the record as present voted in favor and no opposing votes were recorded. The county noted uncertainty about exact grant amounts and timelines for Title III distributions.

The resolution authorizes initiation of the study; further steps (contracting, scope refinement and integration with CWPP and hazard mitigation documents) were discussed but no final contracting decision was recorded during the meeting.

The meeting record shows continued public and staff concern that an updated countywide CWPP and clearer mapping/GIS support are needed to ensure evacuation modeling and mitigation projects are effectively integrated into county planning and response.

The board also said it will seek a clearer process for selecting and sequencing Title III projects so funds are targeted where they support county mitigation priorities.