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Valley County declares local emergency as multiple wildfires burn in backcountry
Summary
County emergency manager reported multiple lightning-started fires along the Brundage/Bridal Ridge area and asked the Board to approve a countywide local emergency declaration through Dec. 31 to speed access to state resources; commissioners approved the resolution by voice vote.
Valley County emergency manager Juan Bonilla told commissioners on Aug. 13 that multiple fires started after a lightning event and that conditions and fire behavior warranted a countywide local emergency declaration.
Bonilla said the county was managing several separate starts — one he described as nearly 300 acres on the far side of the ridge and smaller fires on the county side — and that aircraft and additional crews were being mobilized. "We have currently 3 fires that are on the bridal line ... More than likely, all these fires will end up merging because they're pretty relatively close together," Bonilla said. He said aircraft were being prioritized and that a critical incident management team had been put on alert by area command.
The emergency manager told the board he had been working with state representatives and local landowners, and that the Mid Mountain Lodge could require structure protection depending on wind shifts. Bonilla recommended a countywide declaration timed to expire Dec. 31 so the county would not need to return to commissioners for every subsequent start.
Why it matters: The declaration lets county officials request state assistance more quickly, access state coordination and resource prioritization, and set a formal basis for potential future financial assistance. Bonilla told the board he was preparing documentation that could support future state aid if the incident escalates.
What the commissioners did: A commissioner moved to approve "resolution number 25-04 as amended" (the text on the record declares a countywide local emergency for wildfires and proposes an expiration). The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The board asked staff to circulate the declaration and to have the document available for signature; commissioners agreed the document could be signed later if a quorum member was temporarily unavailable.
Context and next steps: Bonilla said initial structure-protection assets were in place and that operations were hour-by-hour given forecast gusts and low relative humidity in the afternoon. He also said the county had been in contact with Tamarack Mountain Lodge and that portions of that facility had self-evacuated; the sheriff's office coordinated those actions. Bonilla told commissioners he would continue to update them by phone and to submit operational data and damage estimates as they develop.
Ending: With the declaration in place, county staff said they would continue incident coordination with state partners and monitor prospects for federal or state aid if the fires expand.
