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Staff to propose new high-hazard fire-area designations to better match neighboring Sweetgrass County
Summary
Park County staff told commissioners they are drafting a resolution to designate a new high-hazard area covering private lands near the Sweetgrass County border so restrictions and responses better align with the neighboring county; no vote was taken.
County staff reported work to revise high-hazard-area boundaries to reduce confusion and align Park County private-land restrictions with those used by adjacent Sweetgrass County.
Coleman told the commission the county is currently split into three high-hazard areas (Shields Valley, Livingston and Paradise Valley, and Cooke City Garden) and that staff propose combining several private-land response areas into a single designation because the areas share response resources with Sweetgrass County. "We currently have the county divided into 3 high hazard areas ..." Coleman said, outlining areas including Whispering Pines and head-of-drainage locations where Sweetgrass County is often the first responder.
A resident, Stacy Bragg of Livingston, asked whether the proposed restrictions would extend onto federal forest-service lands or into the Beartooth Wilderness; Coleman replied the designation would apply to Park County private lands only and that staff coordinate with state and federal partners when necessary. "No. That would just be for Park County lands, private lands," Coleman said.
Coleman said the proposal is administrative — intended to give the county the authority to apply restrictions when needed — and staff plan to return with a formal resolution and recommended language once they finalize maps and text. Commissioners did not act on the item at this meeting.
