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Montezuma County briefed on ‘extreme’ fire danger; officials weigh emergency declaration
Summary
County emergency-management staff and a public-safety official told commissioners that fire-weather indices show a shift to extreme conditions over several days and recommended preparing a declaration and mutual-aid agreements; the board agreed to discuss a possible declaration at upcoming meetings.
Montezuma County officials were warned June 9 that local fire-weather indices are moving from ‘very high’ into ‘extreme’ over the coming days, prompting a discussion about emergency declarations, mutual-aid agreements and stepped-up public messaging.
Spratlin, the county’s public-safety official, told the Board of County Commissioners that observed and predicted indices show rapidly increasing fire risk and that staffing and statewide resources are strained. “We’re in the extreme right now,” Spratlin said, adding that forecasts show extreme conditions beginning around June 10 and continuing for several days. He said fuels across the county are dry at multiple time lags and that the county should be prepared to act without immediate outside assistance.
Spratlin outlined practical effects of a local emergency declaration: it would activate the county’s emergency operations plan, open the emergency operations center, allow faster procurement for protective measures and coordinate requests for state or federal support. “When we declare an emergency, it kicks in our emergency operations plan,” he said. He also recommended developing or activating mutual-aid MOUs so neighboring counties can provide initial attack resources for 24–72 hours while larger state or federal support is mobilized.
County Attorney (speaker 7) said statute allows the chief executive to sign a disaster declaration that the board must ratify within seven days, so the county can act quickly if conditions warrant. Commissioners acknowledged that a declaration does not guarantee federal funding — citing recent denials for some neighboring counties — but said it improves coordination and procurement speed.
Commissioners directed staff to place the emergency-declaration question on the next meeting agendas (a workshop and the following regular meeting) for fuller discussion. Several commissioners emphasized prevention messaging and existing local restrictions — including the county’s burn ban — and urged residents to avoid open burning and follow fire-safety guidance.
Next step: county staff will present draft declaration language and options for mutual-aid agreements at an upcoming workshop and the board will consider whether to adopt a declaration at the following meeting.
