03/24/2026
A Letter from the local Fire Chiefs
Dear Residents of Routt County,
We are writing to you today as partners in your safety. While we all cherish the mountain lifestyle that drew us to the Yampa Valley, this winter has presented us with a stark reality: our snowpack is currently at approximately 63% of its historical median. With spring upon us and our landscape significantly drier than normal, the opportunity to prepare your property for the 2026 wildfire season is presenting itself earlier than usual.
The investment you have made in your home is substantial. The historically low snowpack means that the fine fuels across the landscape and surrounding your home - the grasses, brush and leaf litter - will dry out weeks ahead of schedule, increasing the potential for an early and intense fire season and putting your investment at elevated risk.
Wildfire mitigation is not about preventing a forest fire; it is about "hardening" your home so it can survive an ember shower or a passing ground fire without professional intervention. In the event of a major incident, our resources will be stretched thin and focused on saving lives, first and foremost.
Here are a few ways you can start to prepare today:
1. Register for Routt County Alerts
2. Create a comprehensive household evacuation plan
3. Ensure your address sign is visible from the road, noncombustible and reflective
4. Request a Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) Evaluation, or self-evaluate
5. Reduce fuels on your property in alignment with HIZ principles
6. Consider structure hardening projects (screen vents, replace combustible attachments, etc.)
The Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council has programming and resources that can help. Visit http://www.routtwildfire.org for more information.
This year, the stakes are higher than ever. We ask you to lead by example and share these concerns with your neighbors. By taking a proactive approach on your property and in your community today, you are not just protecting your own home… you are protecting your neighbors, your water supply and the first responders who serve this valley.
Gratefully,
Kenyon Shephard, Interim Chief, Oak Creek Fire Rescue
Chuck Cerasoli, Fire Chief, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue
Ky Cox, Fire Chief, Yampa Fire Protection District
Matt Mathisen, Fire Chief, North Routt Fire Protection District
Trevor Guire, Fire Chief, West Routt Fire Rescue
Josh Hankes, Executive Director, Routt County Wildfire Mitigation Council
