In Ridgway, Colorado, Sheriff's Deputy Larry Graves pulled up to a home nestled in the mountainside. His radio crackled as a wildfire blazed beyond the trees, signaling it was time to move. 'You guys hear about the mandatory evacuation?' he asked resident Amy Clewell. However, this was only a drill. Emergency responders in Ouray County were conducting large-scale training for the first time, preparing for a wildfire season predicted to be one of the worst in the American West.
States from Arizona to Wyoming rely on Rocky Mountain snowfall for water supply. But record-breaking high temperatures last winter led to historically low snowpack levels. The result is parched soil and vegetation, creating ideal conditions for wildfires. Twenty-seven minutes after Graves' visit, an ambulance arrived to pick up Jordan Wyatt and Jennifer Shook, who portrayed injured victims. Firefighters sprayed water on an imaginary blaze nearby.
Training for Real Emergencies
Shook, who uses a wheelchair and works for an organization supporting people with disabilities, volunteered for the mock rescue after her mother was unable to access updates from authorities during a wind-whipped wildfire that cut off roads near her home last summer. 'Watching her stress level and knowing that we have other people with disabilities that would need to be evacuated, I wanted to participate,' she said.
Such drills are increasingly common in Colorado and essential for identifying coordination gaps among emergency responders. They also help residents prepare for the nerve-wracking scenario of an evacuation. Aaron Jonke, fire chief in Salida, said, 'I've worked here my whole life and I've never seen anything like this year. The moisture is way down, so it's a much more dangerous situation.' He added that he had been warning residents about fire risk since January. 'With climate change, the fire season changed from a summer event to a year-long event.'
Fire Camp Training
Jonke spoke at Colorado Fire Camp, a training facility where participants learned to use chainsaws, an essential tool for creating firebreaks in forests. Daniel Pusher planned to bring his new skills home to his White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona for a tree-thinning project. Reducing overgrowth mitigates fire risk while improving the ecosystem and water quality. He said the drought has made his community extra vigilant to 'take care of our land.'
Eight of the region's 11 states recorded their lowest-ever snowpack levels this past winter. Colorado, one of the eight, activated its drought plan in March.
Drought Impacts on Landscape
Home to top ski destinations, Colorado's landscape has become unrecognizable due to drought. At Loveland Pass, elevation 3,650 meters, Tim Faris surveyed grassy slopes with skis in hand, looking for snow. 'Usually I can ski until the end of June. Now I'm hiking past marmots and flowers to get to where I can find some snow,' he said. In the valley, docks at a small marina on Dillon Reservoir sat on mud, with water levels six meters below normal. The Antero Reservoir, a popular fishing spot, was blocked by a padlocked gate. A sign read, 'No recreation due to low water levels.'
The drought has exacerbated conflicts over water distribution from the Colorado River, which supplies drinking water for 40 million people and irrigates farms. In Denver, authorities transferred water between reservoirs to reduce evaporation. Approximately 90 percent of the city's water comes from melting snow, and average snowpack levels are dropping year after year, said Denver Water official Nathan Elder.
Post-Drill Debrief
In Ouray County, after 'victims' like Shook were whisked to safety and fire hoses rolled up, about 175 emergency workers and volunteers gathered in a community hall to debrief. The emergency cellular network and the fire department's new radio system had not functioned well. Volunteer Diane Moore gained valuable lessons: keep a 'go bag' packed with essentials, including a phone charger. 'We're going to go home and get one ready,' she said as she left.
