Snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance with lush green forest and farmland in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

Stay Informed: Read the Teton Valley News Wildfire Mitigation Series

Building a Fire-Ready Teton Valley, Together

Help Us Prepare our Community for Increasing Wildfire Risk

Teton Valley faces growing wildfire threats, and our community is behind neighboring areas in preparedness. Fire departments throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem already have dedicated wildfire mitigation staff. Teton County Fire Rescue wants to establish this dedicated wildfire mitigation capacity now, before a major wildfire puts lives, homes, businesses, and landscapes at risk.

Teton County Fire Rescue (TCFR) plans to hire a Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator to expand and coordinate wildfire mitigation services throughout Teton Valley.

This role will allow TCFR to move from limited, reactive efforts to a proactive, community wide approach to wildfire risk reduction.

The Need

TCFR plans to hire a Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator by Fall 2026. This dedicated role will

  • Expand homeowner evaluations and on the ground mitigation work

  • Increase access to funding for private property mitigation

  • Use modeling to identify high wildfire risk areas

  • Prioritize locations for mitigation efforts

  • Coordinate TVFACT, a multi-agency/participant wildfire working group

  • Lead targeted outreach and education across the valley

The Goal

Tax deductible donations are being raised through the Wildfire Mitigation Fund at the Community Foundation of Teton Valley to hire a Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator by Fall 2026.

  • $160,000 goal. This includes $145,000 in bridge funding to get the position established, covering one-third of the coordinator's salary and associated costs over three years, plus $15,000 for wildfire modeling software.

  • TCFR will fund the remaining costs through its existing budget and will collaborate with The Nature Conservancy to identify other funding sources

  • After three years, the position will be self-sustaining, funded by grants secured by TCFR

Your support will allow TCFR to hire a Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator and begin expanding mitigation work immediately.

The Ask