Summit Fire & EMS

05/28/2026

You may have noticed that our Wildland Division fuels crew put up the wildfire-danger signs in the highway medians near our fire stations last week. Those, along with our website, are great ways to stay on top of current conditions and if we go into restrictions.

This comes just in time for our wildfire danger to have climbed from low to MODERATE. The little bit of rain and humidity is helping to keep us out of critical fuel-moisture levels, but we are going up a little bit. Yes, it's early in the season for us to reach that level, but it's not an unusual setting for us here in Summit County.

What role does rain play in fire danger? Obviously, rain and humidity play a role in moderating fuel moisture levels and therefore keeping the fire danger lower. The problem with rain is that it doesn't have a long-lasting effect, and once the sun comes out, things start drying out quickly.

Fun fact: One of the primary fire spreaders on the landscape are referred to as one-hour fuels -- the grasses, pine needles and aspen leaves. It takes only one hour for these fuels to equalize with the atmospheric conditions. Basically, after a big afternoon rain and a cool evening, it may take only an hour for those fuels to be ready to burn the next day once the sun hits them. So yes, the rain helps, but our ecosystem here in Summit County dries out quickly!

Keeping the one-hour fuels in mind, the easiest way for you to protect your house is to make sure you keep those fuels away from it! Leaf blowers and w**d whackers are easy to use and the most effective tool for the job. It's a simple way to reduce the risk significantly of your home catching fire.

05/26/2026

The Colorado Short-Term Rental Association is sponsoring a FREE online presentation on wildfire preparation at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Summit Fire & EMS will be among those offering advice to property owners. The target audience, of course is STR owners and managers, but anyone may sit in and learn. Registration is here: https://coloradostra.org/event/wildfire-safety-guest-communication-str-readiness/

05/22/2026

Thanks, KYSL, for explaining what goes into establishing wildfire danger ratings. Remember, though, that we can have wildfires even during times of LOW fire danger, so always please be careful with fires and any sources of flame, sparks or heat.

Here is something we did not expect to say this summer: Fire danger is low in Summit County with no fire restrictions for Memorial Day weekend. Campfires are allowed at campgrounds and into the neighboring forests. But why? “What we're doing is really trying to mitigate risk for the community but ...

05/22/2026

With the "official" start of summer happening this Memorial Day weekend, we wanted to share with you this video of how to manage a campfire property, courtesy of our friends at the U.S. Forest Service.

Please never leave a campfire unattended even for a minute, and make sure that it is fully extinguished before you knock off for the night or prepare to leave the site. That means dousing the ashes with plenty of water, stirring them with a stick and then literally putting your hand in the ashes to ensure that no warm spots remain. Smoldering coals reignite surprisingly frequently, and escaped campfires are one of the primary ways we have seen wildfires get started.

Make sure to watch our website for wildfire danger ratings and any restrictions that may have to be imposed as we get further into the season.

258 likes, 13 comments. "How To Start and Put Out a Campfire"

05/22/2026

Who gives a hoot? We do! A concerned citizen walked into our Station 1 in Copper Mountain to inform us about a Great Horned owl caught in the netting at the golf course, so our Engine 1 crew performed an avian extrication. Pretty cool! Thanks to Lt. Talon Edwards (we swear we're not making that up) for the images!

05/20/2026

It's national Emergency Medical Services Week: Have you hugged a paramedic or firefighter-EMT today?

Sponsored by the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the week honors the lifesaving contributions of EMTs, paramedics and first responders

The Summit County commissioners honored EMS providers with a proclamation declaring that our community "benefits from an excellent EMS system" including our partner organizations Red, White & Blue Fire; Stadium Medical; Keystone, Copper Mountain, Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin ski patrols; Summit County Rescue Group; Keystone, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge Emergency and Urgent Care; St. Anthony Summit Hospital; Flight for Life; Summit County Sheriff's Office; Blue River Police Department; Breckenridge Police Department; Frisco Police Department; Silverthorne Police Department; Dillon Keystone Colorado Police Department and others.

Here are the themes for each day developed by the sponsors:

Sunday, May 17: EMS Strong Day — Kicking off the week by recognizing the dedication and resilience of EMS professionals.

Monday, May 18: Education Day — Focusing on the rigorous training, continuous education and life-long learning required to stay at the forefront of emergency medicine.

Tuesday, May 19: Safety Tuesday — Highlighting the importance of physical and mental wellness, as well as operational safety for responders in the field.

Wednesday, May 20: EMS for Children Day — Dedicated to the specialized, highly sensitive care required when treating pediatric patients.

Thursday, May 21: Save-A-Life Day — Promoting public access to CPR training, Stop the Bleed education and other community-level, lifesaving interventions.

Friday, May 22: EMS Recognition Day — A day to celebrate the achievements, heroism, and day-to-day compassion of EMS workers.

05/19/2026

We, too, have been very impressed -- and appreciative -- of the AI technology that Xcel Energy has installed and shares with us to monitor our mountains for smoke plumes from potential wildfires. One of our favorite anecdotes: The providers were hosting an orientation meeting here at our SF&EMS administrative building in the County Commons a couple of years ago, and the technology immediately pinged on a column of smoke just north of Interstate 70 near the Meadow Creek trailhead. Wait, our folks said, is that live? They literally looked out the window to confirm it and left the meeting in a split second to go put it out before it threatened homes.

Automated cameras aided by artificial intelligence are helping Summit County firefighters spot and extinguish hot spots long before they burn out of control. Chief Drew Hoehn, at Red White and Blue Fire in Breckenridge, says these cameras have been scanning the county for several years now. And they...

05/19/2026

Lt. Kevin Chandler took over his role last October leading the busy B-Shift crew at Station 8 in Dillon, but we finally got around to swearing him in and pinning his new badge on him formally at today's SF&EMS Board meeting. Previously a fire-medic, he still puts his paramedic skills to use routinely on calls and says that he really feels he's where he needs to be, serving our community with consummate professionalism. Please offer congratulations for these belated honors when you bump into him.

05/19/2026

Thanks to Kremmling Fire, the Grand County Sheriff's Office, the Summit County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol for joining the response to this tractor-trailer crash along the north end of Green Mountain Reservoir.

05/15/2026

It's Home Fire Sprinkler Week!
Did you know that home fire sprinklers can reduce the risk of death in a home fire by up to 80 percent? If your home has a fire sprinkler system, here are a few simple ways to keep it in good working order:

✅ Know your water supply. Make sure the main water supply valve to your sprinkler system is always open and unobstructed.

✅ Don't paint or cover sprinkler heads. Paint, decorations, or any covering can prevent them from functioning properly.

✅ Keep them clear. Maintain at least 18 inches of clearance below sprinkler heads — never hang items from them.

✅ Schedule annual inspections. Have a licensed fire sprinkler contractor inspect your system at least once a year.

✅ Know your system. Locate your control valve and inspector's test valve so you're prepared in an emergency.

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🔥 ¡Esta semana, del 18 al 24 de mayo, es la Semana de los Rociadores Contra Incendios en el Hogar!

¿Sabías que los rociadores contra incendios pueden reducir el riesgo de muerte en un incendio doméstico hasta en un 80%? Si tu hogar cuenta con un sistema de rociadores, aquí tienes algunos consejos para mantenerlo en buen estado:

✅ Conoce tu suministro de agua. Asegúrate de que la válvula principal de suministro de agua del sistema esté siempre abierta y sin obstrucciones.

✅ No pintes ni cubras los cabezales. La pintura, decoraciones o cualquier cubierta puede impedir su correcto funcionamiento.

✅ Mantenlos despejados. Mantén al menos 45 centímetros de espacio libre debajo de los cabezales — nunca cuelgues objetos de ellos.

✅ Programa inspecciones anuales. Contrata a un técnico certificado en sistemas contra incendios para que inspeccione tu sistema al menos una vez al año.

✅ Conoce tu sistema. Localiza la válvula de control y la válvula de prueba para estar preparado en caso de emergencia.