Evergreen's fire drill reveals gaps in wildfire evacuation plans

Residents of Evergreen, Colorado, took part in a fire evacuation drill on a Saturday morning. The exercise drew around 1,300 participants—far more than officials had anticipated. Organisers praised the community’s strong involvement in preparing for potential wildfires. The drill was coordinated by Clear Creek and Evergreen firefighters, along with the Clear Creek and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices. Its purpose was to test emergency response plans ahead of what experts warn could be an active and dangerous fire season in 2026.

Many residents, including Sarah Forbes, used the exercise to review and adjust their personal evacuation strategies. Forbes, a local, admitted she had to revise her own plan during the drill. She also voiced concerns about the area’s high wildfire risk. Evergreen Fire Chief Michael Weege pointed out a key issue: the local roads were never designed to handle mass evacuations. The drill also exposed weaknesses in the 911 system, providing valuable data for future emergency planning.

The evacuation exercise revealed both community readiness and infrastructure challenges. Officials now have clearer insights into how roads and emergency systems would perform under real wildfire conditions. The findings will help shape better preparedness measures before the 2026 fire season.