Worst case scenario

This is a worst case scenario as described to me, by a leading Summit County Fire Commander.

Place: Summit County Colorado

Time: Summer, busy weekend (Labor Day, Forth of July, Memorial Day)

Weather: Clear, Hot and Dry with North West Wind

Fire’s Origin: Near Green Mountain Reservoir, and spreading into the Eagles Nest Wilderness, and flues up the valley into rising terrain, and into the towns of Silverthorne, Frisco, and eventually Breckenridge.

This is an example of what could happen in any city in the Rocky Mountain West, such as Aspen, Telluride, Vail or Sun Valley.  In most cases there are only 2 ways out by road, as in the case of Breckenridge.   The fire fighting recourses are limited because of  a limited amount of fire personnel, and lack of water.  In Summit County we are limited to using city water hydrants, and small ponds, streams, and the blue river for extinguishing the fire.  We cannot use Dillon Reservoir because it is Denver’s water.  Even if we could use helicopter buckets to dip into the Dillon Reservoir it is illegal for helicopters with a bucket to cross active highways to dump the water on the fire.

So with a fire raging in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, and with it being a very busy weekend in Summit County, the roads out will be choked by fleeing tourists and residents.  Possibly to ameliorate and speed the evacuation process, law enforcement may decide to open both sides of the highway.  The problem this option will cause is with the inability for other fire assets to enter the valley to help extinguish the flames.  Like New Orleans after Katrina that was isolated by great expanses of swamp and open water and impassable roads, towns like Breckenridge will be isolated by expanses of mountains, and impassable roads; either clogged by fire or escapees.

Best case Scenario

Nothing is different from the worse case scenario except that the roads are wide open and all the tourists and residents were able to get out of the valley and  away from the fire.  But because of the rest/work ratio rules given to wild land fire crews, and limited daily travel time, the fire crews that will help save the towns of Summit County are several days away. In the mean time the fire crews in Summit County must hold their own until help arrives.

In either case the problem is the same: How do fire fighting assets arrive in the valley faster without compromising the safety of the crews themselves; thereby putting down the fire quicker, and saving more property.

The plan for a worst case scenario to deliver fire crews into the Breckenridge Valley, that was described to me by a Summit County Fire Official,  consisted of the crews from outside the valley first driving to an airport such as Eagle Airport.  From there National Guard helicopters will transport the crews to the airport in Kremmling, and Summit Stage busses will shuttle them from Kremmling up the valley to the fire.

A complex transportation system to be sure, and any problems found with any phase of it, will not allow teams to be delivered into the Summit Valley. Combined with the issues of travel time previously discussed,  and with the potential of Highway 9 being blocked by traffic and or fire, and add to it a little known Act from the Roosevelt administration called the Economy Act of 1932, and crews will certainly not be transported to where they are needed most by National Guard helicopters.