Responsible Solar
for Montezuma County
Responsible Solar
For Montezuma County
Wildfire
the county commissioners' workshop agenda for february 16, 2026 shows the item "discussion regarding fire ban implementation due to reduced moisture and setting a possible schedule". that'll get your attention!
It indicates the serious wildfire conditions present in the county, and lines up with related water concerns. When has this ever been an issue so early in the year? The commissioners are not the only ones discussing the 2026 wildfire outlook. Farmers, ranchers, residents, firemen, MVI, DWCD,: if you can think of a water user, the subject is discussed.
Though a burning ban was not imposed in February, it did go into effect on May 26, 2026. County residents were encouraged to clean up around their properties. A weekend was set aside to drop off items at the county landfill, with the county paying tipping fees for all.
Ask a fire marshal or a fire chief or one of our volunteer firefighters how they feel about fighting a fire at or near a utility scale solar facility. "Working closely with the local fire stations" as project proposals are written, is not the same as being prepared for an actual event. As the season developed, fire preparedness was strongly tested with the Ferris Fire, which took place in Montezuma County and neighboring Dolores County late June through most of July. Firefighters worked diligently to protect the Dolores Canyon Solar Facility and its infrastructure during the Ferris Fire. Thankfully, no homes or structures were lost.
Constructing a solar facility when extreme fire conditions exist can only complicate the future outlook. We find that possibility extremely unsettling.
Photo: The accompanying photo shows the Sharps Canyon Fire in proximity to the Dolores Canyon Solar Facility in Dolores County, CO, 2025
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