Council approves fire department's 5-year capital replacement priority plan; chief warns of rising wildland fire risk

The Washington Terrace City Council approved the Fire Department's 0-5 priority five-year capital replacement plan on April 7, 2026, after the Fire Chief outlined first-quarter call volumes and wildfire concerns.

In his quarterly briefing, the Fire Chief reported 334 calls for service in the first quarter (279 medical calls and 55 fire-related calls) and said the department was on pace for roughly 1,300 calls this year, similar to the prior year. The chief noted that roughly 32% of calls involved nursing homes and that a cluster of false alarms at one nursing facility inflated recent numbers; staff adjusted the percentage downward to account for those recurring false alarms.

The chief warned council that dry winter and warm spring conditions have already produced increased wildland and grass-fire activity nearby and asked the council to consider options for restricting open burning. He said a no-burn policy could be tailored (for example, neighborhood- or area-specific bans such as the South End and West End around Ridgeline) or applied citywide; he also said a full fireworks ban across the entire city is constrained by prior attempts and legal limits, though area-specific restrictions are feasible.

Councilmembers moved to adopt the 0-5 priority plan so staff and finance can begin planning funding and place-holders for future replacements. Councilmember (S3) moved to approve the plan as presented; Councilmember (S8) seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote.

The chief also announced community events the department will support, including the Golden West 5K and an emergency preparedness fair on May 2 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) at the Washington Terrace West Stake building (125 East 5350). Councilmembers thanked staff for the department's community engagement and approved the capital plan to begin fiscal planning for replacements due as early as 2028.