DILLON, Colo. (AP) -- Firefighters would have arrived at a fire that destroyed six condominiums much sooner if Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue had the funding to staff the nearby Wildernest station, authorities say.
The first engine arrived nine minutes after the first 911 call, Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue Chief Francis Winston said Tuesday. It came from Dillon, three miles away.
Other fire crew arrived later even as the Wildernest station sat empty, less than a mile from the blaze.
``I could have fire stations every five blocks, but if a 50 mph wind comes up, it wouldn't matter,'' Winston said. ``There's a certain risk we all accept living up here. You can only do what a community can afford.''
Winston said his $3.1 million budget covers firefighters and equipment for two of the district's five stations. The Wildernest, Silverthorne and Dillon Valley stations do not have trucks or firefighters 24 hours a day.
Initial estimates indicated $500,000 in property damage. However, each unit was valued at $128,000, meaning damages could rise to $768,000.
