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Good morning.
What is it? September 3rd today, 10:00

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in the morning. We're
calling a special emergency meeting to

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discuss the possibility of rescinding
stage one fire restrictions. So,

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I'll let Doug lead us on this as far as
what's happening on the ground and why

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we're doing this.
>> Thank you, Commissioner. So, uh

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we obviously monitor conditions very
closely. We want to be flexible with

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with as flexible as we can be while
maintaining fire safety with the with

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where we are with fire restrictions. We
try not to go into stage restrictions

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when we can, but when conditions require
it, I appreciate the being proactive and

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being able to
try to limit the exposures that we have

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in the county to wildfire. And so, I I
but in that respect, I also think it's

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important for us to act when conditions
are not as severe and get reduced and

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so, people can enjoy having some
campfires again. I Again, conditions

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aren't totally relaxed, so I it's still
I think appropriate to keep maintain our

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debris burning
closures, which is those fires that are

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bigger than 48 in, but
all our conditions indicate that we are

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coming out of and should remain out of
stage one requirement. So, our

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energy release components have all been
below the 80th percentile for or at the

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80th percentile for quite for the last
week or so and

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with the shortening days,
we're still going to see some warm days.

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We're in the red flag conditions
actually right now, which primarily

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because of humidity and and wind, not so
much because of the heat, but I just

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don't see the hazard there anymore and
so, I would like to see us be proactive

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and
try to get folks to and be able to enjoy

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their campfires again and campfire
property. So, that's why I wanted to

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bring it for you today. If you have
questions, I'm happy to entertain.

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» The Forest Service, the federally
>> never did.

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» The federal agencies did not, but well,
I shouldn't say that. The Forest

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Service, the BLM,
um and FWP on any lands that they have,

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they follow the county and did do so.
So, they along with DNRC.

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So, they all followed us into stage one
and they

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at the coordination call Tuesday, I let
them know that you were going to

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consider this and they will be following
us out as well. So,

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it's it's nice to have that
coordination.

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» [clears throat]
>> Well, it was just about two weeks of

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restriction then and about it, huh?
>> I think it Well, I think it was a little

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more than that. It was August 13th.
So, it was Yeah, a little bit more than

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that and that's and and, you know,
if you don't have a crystal ball, so

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it's never easy to say. And so, you but
I I I think it's important for us to be

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proactive, especially given
the other the other measurable that we

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look at is the available resources and
given

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what we what we call this the
preparedness level, the PL, that's the

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thing that we watch for for availability
of resources both in the Northern

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Rockies geographical area, which Montana
is a part of and that has that's dropped

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down
one

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notch. So, essentially, there is a few
more resources available. So, that's an

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important part of it, too, because
when we're in that PL3, PL4 area,

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the hazard of not being able to
necessarily catch even smaller stuff if

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you don't have the people to go out and
fight it is a also important

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consideration. So, that's another data
point that's gotten better and and so, I

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think
I think we're

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cautiously optimistic. I mean, we're
certainly not out of fire season yet,

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but I think I think it's reasonable to
to uh

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release or rescind those stage one
restrictions and that's my

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recommendation.
>> I I going to say hunting season starts

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this weekend, so
>> Hunting season does start

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» Does typically the forest anyway.
>> It is the forest most mostly, but um and

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again, I try to be I mean, obviously
those take into consideration, but I'm

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very data-driven when it comes to this
stuff. I like to follow what the

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conditions are
as close as we can. So

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» Well, it's getting a little cooler, and
I think people enjoy

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still being able to go out in the yard,
have a little fire for warmth and

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» Yep.
>> ambiance.

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» Absolutely. And I have and and just for
the record, so you are aware, so I did

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speak with the town of Whitehall because
they went in with stage restrictions as

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well after we did, and then I I talked
to the mayor down there yesterday and

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let her know that you were also
considering this. Boulder never did do

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that, but I visited with them a little
bit on that as well, so

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» No, it got to like 24 the other morning.
>> It's getting chilly. I'll take it. It

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feels great.
>> [laughter]

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» Yep.
>> All right. Well, let me read this. This

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one is pretty quick.
Whereas on December 16th, 2025, the

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Board of County Commissioners passed
Resolution 28-25

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establishing a controlled burning season
in Jefferson County for 2026. Whereas on

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August 13th, 2026, the Board of
Jefferson County Commissioners passed

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Resolution 17-26 establishing Stage 1
fire restrictions

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and in Jeffer- or in Jefferson County,
um

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and then it goes through all the reasons
why.

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And so hereby resolved by the Board of
County Commissioners that Resolution

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17-2026 is hereby rescinded and Stage 1
fire restrictions are hereby lifted for

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all county and private lands in
Jefferson County.

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And it's further further resolved this
resolution becomes effective at 12:01

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tomorrow,
September 4th, passed and approved on

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this 3rd day of September, 2026 by the
Board of County Commissioners.

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I'll entertain a motion. So moved. I'll
second.

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Any other discussion on this one?
DD, Richard, anything to say? No? Okay.

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I guess that we'll move to vote on this.
So, all in favor say I. I.

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» I.
>> All right.

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It is passed.
I think that's it. Anything else, Doug?

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» That's that's it. I appreciate it. If I
can just get a copy of that, I'll have

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to send that out to our partners.
>> Thanks.

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That's why I have to bring my
>> I should have brought

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» booklet. I don't have a pen, either.
>> Yeah, I I had mine in my truck and

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I had a few.
>> [clears throat]

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» I'm going to get a pen.
Richard, I got a pen.

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All right, I guess we will be adjourned.
Thank you, everybody.

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» you guys. I really appreciate you
making the