Fire chief warns of elevated wildfire risk and proposes 'Fire Ready' campaign

Fire Chief John Coffey opened his briefing by saying he did not "want to raise the alarm, but to clearly communicate a reality we must face together," and described the approaching wildfire season as "a serious and escalating threat to the town of Black Mountain." He told the council that recent hurricane damage left large amounts of downed timber and vegetative debris that now serve as an unnaturally heavy fuel bed.

Chief Coffey said the town’s topology — steep terrain, dense tree cover and narrow roads — increases evacuation and response challenges and that risk maps used by state and federal services show neighborhood clusters of elevated concern. To reduce risk he urged three pillars of prevention: compliance with fire codes (including defensible space around homes), public education using programs such as Firewise, and tactical readiness that recognizes local suppression capabilities are thin.

"Prevention is the most powerful tool that we have," Coffey said, and described proposed actions including a Black Mountain "fire ready" campaign, neighborhood ambassador programs, community cleanup events, home risk assessments, CERT team outreach, and stronger enforcement around debris clearance and open burning rules.

Coffey asked for council support to amplify outreach through town channels and for coordination with public works, planning (to integrate defensible‑space guidance into building permits), and police for enforcement and evacuation assistance. He said the department has brochures available for residents and encouraged use of Code Red emergency alerts; staff later confirmed an opt‑out model is being considered to increase coverage.

Councilors thanked Coffey and asked staff to continue outreach and to integrate wildfire guidance into permitting and communications work underway for recovery and resiliency.