Summit County celebrated the summer solstice while also informing the community about wildfire preparedness during a Wildfire Solstice event at the Silverthorne Pavilion Thursday evening. What was supposed to be an event marking the end of a full-scale wildfire exercise that day turned into a celebration of the countywide effort that managed to stomp out the Buffalo Mountain Fire last week without loss of life or structures.

Outdoors, fun was had with an inflatable castle, food trucks and face painting for kids. In the back lot, firefighters, paramedics and law enforcement officers exhibited their vehicles and equipment, posing for photos with grateful community members.

Inside the pavilion’s main ballroom, different local agencies set up table stations where community members could learn about wildfire preparedness. Signs and posters from residents hung from the rafters, thanking emergency responders for their service. Summit Fire & EMS thanked the community back in a Facebook post:

“We really enjoyed chatting with the great crowd about how to prepare for wildfire; ‘hardening’ your home against embers, having a packed evacuation kit, saving digital copies of important files and photos off site.”

Summit Fire reminds residents that the district is happy to do a courtesy wildfire-preparedness evaluation on their properties. Call 970-262-5100, ext. 125 to set up an appointment.