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Montrose County Board of Commissioners declares local emergency for three wildfires
Summary
The Montrose County Board of Commissioners on July 17 adopted Resolution 37-2025, declaring a local emergency for the South Rim, Sowbelly and Deer Creek fires to unlock emergency operation and spending authorities; the declaration must be renewed every seven days, county officials said.
The Montrose County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously July 17 to adopt Resolution 37-2025, declaring a local emergency for the South Rim, Sowbelly and Deer Creek wildfires and activating the county's emergency operations and spending authorities.
Montrose County Emergency Manager Scott Hawkins told the board the declaration would help with public-health responses, air-quality monitoring and future recovery efforts. "Still 0 containment, 4,160 acres," Hawkins said, describing suppression challenges along the canyon rim and ongoing dozer-line and backburn operations where crews can work safely.
County Attorney Julie Andress told commissioners the declaration is time-limited. "So it actually is not effective for more than 7 days without it being renewed," she said; the board directed staff to place the item on the agenda at the next Wednesday meeting to consider an extension or a longer effective period.
Hawkins said evacuation polygons have been drawn, the school in Nucla has agreed to serve as an evacuation site, and the county is coordinating with the Red Cross and state partners. He said the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment had placed air-quality monitors in the West End and Nucla and that masks were being distributed there.
The emergency manager described interagency coordination on Deer Creek, saying the fire had attracted national attention and that multiple incident-management teams were working in the county. He said state resources and personnel (including assignments of staff such as Bobby Lucero and field manager David Osborne) had been made available to assist, and that PIO Erica was handling media messaging for Deer Creek.
The board's action followed the presentation and a brief procedural discussion. Chair asked for a motion to adopt the resolution; a commissioner moved, the motion was seconded, and the board approved the resolution by voice vote with all present saying "Aye." The board announced it will revisit the declaration at the following Wednesday meeting.
The meeting adjourned after the vote.
