The battle against a wildfire demands many resources. From manpower to equipment, the strength of the fight against a blaze is often measured by the amount of resources dedicated to the campaign. But what happens when resources required to fight fire are already in short supply? And what happens to a community when firefighting burns up resources that will be needed once the flames have receded? One of the most precious, and protected, resources in Southwest Colorado is water. Water is also a ubiquitous resource in firefighting. What happens when a water shortage meets a wildfire? That is a question water officials in Montezuma County have been forced to consider since the Weber Fire sparked on Friday, June 22. In an announcement posted on the Montezuma County Sheriff’s website, Mancos Rural Water Company asked Mancos-area residents to back off of water usage in the area as the Weber Fire battle continues. “Mancos Rural Water Company does not have enough domestic water to serve the tremendous amount of water that area residents are using to soak down the areas around their homes,” the announcement states.

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