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El Paso County commissioners urge stronger evacuation planning after recent wildfires
Summary
At the March 18 Board of County Commissioners meeting, commissioners described two recent wildfires that burned near Schriever Air Force Base and inside Colorado Springs, urged improved evacuation planning, and thanked local fire departments and the joint Office of Emergency Management for their response.
El Paso County commissioners on March 18 pressed for stronger evacuation planning and praised local firefighting crews after two recent wildfires burned in the county and within Colorado Springs.
Commissioner Wysong said one fire near Schriever Air Force Base burned “a little less than 3,000 acres” and damaged “a couple of structures,” while a separate fire inside Colorado Springs burned about 20 acres and damaged no structures. “We still need to make sure that we put together a very strong evacuation plan … before another major event like the Waldo Canyon fire potentially impacts us,” Wysong said during the commissioners' report.
Vice Chair Williams framed the discussion in a broader wildfire-prevention context, noting regional watershed and wildfire risks, including at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Williams said federal involvement may be necessary for mitigation on federally owned lands.
The chair of the board thanked the many local fire departments and the joint Office of Emergency Management — a city-county office — for their work. “I don't think it was much luck. I think that we have very professional firefighters who did a fantastic job of getting those fires under control,” the chair said, praising small departments including Cimarron Hills Fire Department and its chief, Chief York.
No formal actions or policy decisions were recorded on the topic at the March 18 meeting. Commissioners said the county needs to improve planning and interagency coordination to reduce the risk of future large incidents and to ensure evacuation procedures are clear and actionable.
The discussion occurred during the commissioners' regular liaison and elected-official reports rather than as a separate agenda item. Commissioners referenced recent multiagency responses and ongoing coordination with regional partners, including the Office of Emergency Management and the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments.
