Fire Chief Bob Zanetti says the top two causes of fires in 2023 were gas line and household appliance malfunctions.
When it came to the gas fires, Zanetti says the root cause was frequently snow falling from roofs or balconies.
His team responded to 6,535 calls last year, and he says that’s an increase of over 100 from 2022. There was an estimated $1.3 million in damage to structures, which doesn't include damage to the environment or vehicles.
“A fairly busy year—we're prepared for it. We'll probably see another increase next year,” Zanetti said. “Interesting enough, though, typically, we've had an increase in our EMS calls. This past year, we had an increase in fire calls.”
Emergency medical services still account for the majority of the fire district’s calls: 55%.
PCFD always begins the year busy with the Sundance Film Festival. For 2024, Zanetti says they’re taking measures to keep response times low despite traffic.
There will be firefighters stationed on Main Street on busy weekend days from noon until 2 a.m. during the 2024 festival, which begins Jan. 18.
