Dammeron Valley Fire SSD Board statement on Forsyth Fire

The Dammeron Valley Fire Special Service District Administrative Control Board expresses its gratitude to the first responders who fought to save Pine Valley and surrounding areas since the initial attack on the Forsyth Fire last Thursday evening. Dispatched to provide Incident Command early Thursday evening, Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue (DVFR) Deputy Chief D’Ambrosio organized the initial attack on the fire, overseeing structure protection from Thursday into the weekend. DVFR Fire Chief Riffer also worked structure protection on the fire, then provided Incident Command for the southern SR-18 corridor while resources were deployed to Pine Valley. We appreciate both Chiefs’ dedication and long work cycles during the initial days of the fire.

The hard-fought battle against seemingly overwhelming odds Thursday night resulted in no structures being lost. Unfortunately, the strong winds Friday and Friday night resulted in structural losses, and while any loss is meaningful, the impact could have been much worse without the efforts of the firefighters from multiple agencies.

We recognize the many local agencies that responded Thursday night via mutual aid and auto-aid, remaining on scene Friday and into the weekend. The coordinated efforts of crews working in dangerous and challenging conditions, from across Washington County, Southern Utah, and Nevada, were highly effective. We especially want to recognize the Pine Valley volunteer fire department, who fought hard and long to protect their community.

It is important to understand the impact that a rapid response, fuels mitigation by property owners, and a coordinated initial attack and structure defense had on the outcome to the community. While it will be years before Pine Valley looks like it did prior to last Thursday, the vast majority of properties remain unscathed. 

Dammeron Valley residents, and those in nearby communities, benefit from DVFR station 13’s continuous and uninterrupted service to SR18. At the height of the fire’s activity in Pine Valley, during extreme fire risk conditions, Station 13 continued to be staffed and equipped to respond to any other emergency along the corridor, while simultaneously providing incident command, personnel, and equipment to fight the Forsyth Fire.

Residents are reminded of the importance of fuels mitigation. Providing defensible space for first responders allows them to engage a fire far more effectively, as well as giving your property a better chance of surviving should a crew not be immediately available, as in the case of a community-wide fire. Please take advantage of the resources available at DVFR’s website, www.dvfirerescue.org/wildfire.

In closing, the District extends our heartfelt condolences to those who lost homes during this historic event. Pine Valley holds a special place in Utah history and the personal memories of so many of us. The outpouring of community support from all across Washington County for Pine Valley residents and first responders has been extremely encouraging, reconfirming that we live in a wonderful place. Let’s continue to do our part, individually and collectively, to reduce the risk of loss from fire, and give our first responders a fighting chance when called.