San Miguel County Colorado Government

06/05/2026

Are You Prepared? There's a lot going on throughout the County and region to make sure we're set up for success in the event of a fire emergency. Scroll on to learn what various jurisdictions have been up to lately, and remember to check bit.ly/smcwildfireinfo for the latest updates.

¿Está preparado/a? Hay muchas cosas ocurriendo en todo el Condado y la región para asegurarnos de estar listos en caso de una emergencia por incendio forestal. Deslice para conocer lo que distintas jurisdicciones han estado haciendo recientemente y recuerde visitar bit.ly/smcwildfireinfo para obtener las últimas actualizaciones.

06/04/2026

*New Emergency Alert Siren System Installed in Telluride:
A new emergency alert system has been installed in Telluride to provide audible warnings and voice instructions during large-scale emergency incidents.
The new Sentry Siren system is designed to enhance public safety by providing an additional method of delivering early warnings to residents and visitors when immediate action may be required. The system can be activated during a variety of major emergency situations, including wildfires, severe weather events, or other incidents that could require evacuation or protective actions. When activated, the system emits a distinctive warning tone followed by one of eight pre-recorded voice messages providing instructions to the public.
The San Miguel County Office of Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating public alerts during multi-jurisdictional emergency incidents. The Towns of Telluride and Mountain Village currently each have their own emergency alert systems operating, as does the county.
"This siren system is a beneficial addition to our existing systems and is one of the ways that we are addressing being able to reach our tourist and traveling populations," said Shannon Armstrong, the County Emergency Manager. "It provides an additional layer of coverage and we are extremely grateful to the Telluride Fire Protection District and the Telluride Foundation for making this happen."
If an emergency warrants activation, the siren would be initiated through emergency dispatch. Mounted atop the Telluride Fire Protection District station in the center of the Town of Telluride, the system is designed to provide broad audible coverage throughout the Telluride community.
“We are excited to add this valuable system to help alert and direct the public during emergencies,” said Telluride Fire Protection District Chief John Bennett. “We continue to strengthen coordination, planning, and preparedness efforts with our agency partners to help ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors.”
Funding for the Sentry Siren was provided primarily through a $25,000 grant from the Telluride Foundation.
“The Telluride Foundation is highly focused on wildfire preparedness for our region,” said Jason Corzine, President & CEO of the Telluride Foundation. “Partnering with the San Miguel Sheriff's Office and Telluride Fire on a new audible siren for the Town of Telluride is an important step for managing the risks and impacts of a potential fire event.”
Efforts are underway to be operational prior to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival which begins June 18th.

Agencies are exploring opportunities for additional locations and expansion of the program as funding allows.

06/03/2026

Fire Restrictions Update:

San Miguel County is expanding Stage 1 Fire Restrictions to include lands within both the Egnar and Norwood Fire Protection Districts, effective at 11:59pm Friday night. These restrictions will be in effect for all unincorporated, privately owned land from approximately mile marker 91 on Hwy 145 west to the Utah border (see attached map).

Currently, lands managed by the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG) and the Uncompahgre Field Office (BLM) have no restrictions. Lands managed by the Tres Rios Field Office are under Stage 1. For additional information about fire restrictions across the region, visit https://westslopefireinfo.com/.

06/03/2026

Heads up/reminder to our Trout Lake citizens! SMPA will be performing some structural upgrades in the area that will leave the area without power Wednesday, 6/3 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (or so). Please plan accordingly.

¡Atención y recordatorio para nuestros residentes de Trout Lake! SMPA realizará algunas mejoras de infraestructura en la zona que dejarán el área sin electricidad el miércoles 6/3, de 9:00 a.m. a 4:00 p.m. aproximadamente. Por favor, planifique con anticipación.

06/02/2026

Come work with us at the County! Do you love: high mountain passes, driving big trucks, leading a team of hardworking folks, and/or helping make sure your neighbors can get around without any trouble? Join our team as a District Supervisor in the Road + Bridge department! Please note that this position, along with all Road + Bridge positions in the East End of the County, is eligible for an additional $7.50/hour, due to the challenging terrain - that's an extra $15k a year! Not to mention a pretty sweet benefits package. If this sounds up your alley, learn more and apply at bit.ly/smcdistrictsupervisor, or check the link in our bio.

¡Venga a trabajar con nosotros en el Condado! ¿Le encantan los pasos de montaña de gran altitud, conducir camiones grandes, liderar un equipo de personas trabajadoras y/o ayudar a garantizar que sus vecinos puedan desplazarse sin problemas? ¡Únase a nuestro equipo como Supervisor/a de Distrito en el Departamento de Carreteras y Puentes! Tenga en cuenta que este puesto, junto con todos los puestos de Carreteras y Puentes en el East End del Condado, es elegible para recibir $7.50 adicionales por hora debido al terreno desafiante — ¡eso equivale a $15,000 extra al año! Sin mencionar un excelente paquete de beneficios. Si esto le interesa, obtenga más información y postúlese en bit.ly/smcdistrictsupervisor o consulte el enlace en nuestra biografía.

06/01/2026

BREAKING: CDOT will be performing overnight roadwork beginning tonight, Monday 6/1, for the next three nights (Monday 6/1, Tuesday 6/2 and Wednesday 6/3) at Society Turn. The overnight work will take place in the roadway 7:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m. This is in addition to the roadside work that is already taking place during the day. We apologize for the late notice and inconvenience.

Send a message to learn more

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

There’s a new outlaw causin’ trouble across the range, and it goes by the name of Musk Thistle. Don’t let them flashy purple flowers fool ya - this spiny varmint is one of the West’s most wanted invasive w**ds. It rolls into pastures, roadsides and open country, pushin’ native plants clean outta town and leavin’ behind thick thorny patches livestock won’t even touch.

This troublemaker can grow taller than the hind legs of a quarter horse (that’s over six feet!), and one single plant can scatter up to 120,000 seeds that'll stick around longer than a bad poker debt (up to ten years!) Keep an eye out for big purple blooms that look to be “nodding”, sharp spiny leaves with a white stripe down the middle, and thick patches of them takin’ over an entire area.

If you spot Musk Thistle on your land, don’t wait for hell or high water. San Miguel County Vegetation Control + Management is here to help with w**d identification, management plans, educational resources and more. But this here’s a community roundup, folks, and w**d control takes all hands on deck.

Want to learn more? Check out the full list of invasive species in Colorado, along with identification tips, at the link in our bio.

Hay un nuevo forajido causando problemas por toda la región, y responde al nombre de Musk Thistle. No se deje engañar por esas llamativas flores moradas: esta maleza espinosa es una de las especies invasoras más buscadas del Oeste. Invade pastizales, caminos y terrenos abiertos, desplazando a las plantas nativas y dejando tras de sí densos parches espinosos que ni el ganado quiere tocar.

Este alborotador puede crecer más alto que las patas traseras de un caballo cuarto de milla (¡más de seis pies!), y una sola planta puede dispersar hasta 120,000 semillas que permanecen en el suelo más tiempo que una mala deuda de póker (¡hasta diez años!). Esté atento a grandes flores moradas con apariencia “cabizbaja”, hojas espinosas con una franja blanca en el centro y parches densos apoderándose de áreas enteras.

¿Quiere aprender más? Consulte la lista completa de especies invasoras de Colorado, junto con consejos de identificación, en el enlace de nuestra biografía.

05/30/2026

Exciting times on Wright's Mesa! Commissioners Brown and Gleason were thrilled to join Norwood School District Superintendent Todd Bissell last Thursday for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new school. Said Commissioner Gleason of the event: “What an incredible moment it was to bear witness to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Norwood School. You could feel the buzz of excitement and pride radiating from every student as they set foot on the grounds that will soon be transformed into an inspiring place to learn, explore and thrive. The future is bright, and it starts here.”

¡Momentos emocionantes en Wright’s Mesa! Los comisionados Brown y Gleason estuvieron encantados de acompañar al superintendente del Distrito Escolar de Norwood, Todd Bissell, el jueves pasado en la ceremonia de colocación de la primera piedra para la nueva escuela. Dijo el comisionado Gleason sobre el evento: “Qué momento tan increíble fue presenciar la ceremonia de inicio de construcción de la nueva Escuela de Norwood. Se podía sentir la emoción y el orgullo irradiando de cada estudiante mientras caminaban por el terreno que pronto se transformará en un lugar inspirador para aprender, explorar y prosperar. El futuro es brillante, y comienza aquí.”