Colorado mountain community preps for wildfires with community training, evacuation drills
Even with a little fresh snow, wildfire risk remains top of mind in Colorado's mountain communities after an exceptionally dry winter. In Silverthorne, neighbors in the Mesa Cortina area took part in a mock evacuation drill with Summit Fire and EMS on Sunday, practicing what it would take to leave quickly if a wildfire threatens.
Neighbors received an alert and had 45 minutes to gather essentials and get out, mirroring real conditions.
Kelsey Andersen brought his two sons with him to an evacuation spot, with memories of the Buffalo Mountain Fire in 2018 fresh in his mind.
"Based on what water projections are this year, it feels like it's a pretty pertinent thing to do," Andersen said.
Residents prepared by packing their cars with everything from documents to family keepsakes.
"Hard drives with old pictures, photo albums, that's kind of the first line stuff," neighbor Jack Gervais said.
The goal is to build muscle memory before a real emergency.
"This is the time to make those mistakes and learn those lessons," said Summit Fire and EMS's Steve Lipsher.
Fire officials highlighted that wildfires can happen fast, so evacuations need to be just as quick. Crews said worrying about what to bring with you, or searching for it when you only have ten minutes to get out the door, is time wasted.
"With how dry it is and the wind we get, you could have a matter of minutes," Gervais said.
That urgency is driving more community involvement.
"The more people that know, the better it is," Firewise Co-Chair Judi Kodner Casey said.
Kodner Casey was eagerly taking notes during the debrief portion of the drill, back at the Silverthorne fire station.
Summit Fire and EMS encourages residents to create evacuation plans now, keep kits in their vehicles, and coordinate with neighbors. Officials say more neighborhood drills are likely, but anyone can practice on their own with the help of a stopwatch and a little planning.
But the message is simple from the firefighters and participants alike; when a wildfire starts, there won't be time to prepare, so now is the time to act.
