Fire chief warns of dry fuel conditions and earlier forest restrictions; town pushes 1‑call signups

Fire Chief Andy told the council that the town’s seasonal fuel- and snowpack-related metrics are well below normal and that the energy release component used by federal and state agencies is at record highs for this time of year. "We are at 46% based on our geographic area of normal water content in the snow," he said, and warned the town could see wildfire restrictions and campground closures move in sooner than usual.

Andy described a test of the town’s 1‑call notification system and urged residents who did not receive the test alert to come to town hall to register. He emphasized the limits on personnel for prevention work, noting regional staffing shortages and that some Forest Service functions remain constrained. "All we can do is hope that we get more moisture," he said, adding that the town will escalate restrictions in lockstep with the forest service.

Councilors and residents asked about outreach to rental agencies and whether the town could create a volunteer force to augment prevention and door‑to‑door notification where electronic signups are incomplete. Andy said hydrants are inspected annually and a portion are flow‑tested each year; he also described cross‑training and the department’s shift to wildland firefighting preparedness.

Why it matters: with visitor traffic and outdoor recreation central to the local economy, earlier fire restrictions or a major incident could force closures that limit recreational access and have downstream economic impacts. Council discussed steps to notify visitors and rental agencies when closures occur.

Next steps: officials encouraged residents and lodging operators to register for the 1‑call system, sign up rental agencies for guest notifications, and explore volunteer outreach as a supplement to official alerts. Staff said they will continue training and monitor forest and fuel-index data closely.