Sunapee fire danger sign removed for repair by school trades class

Sunapee’s fire danger sign came down for repair after staff decided it needed serious work, and a local building trades class is now handling the restoration. Sunapee Fire and the Sunapee Highway Department removed the sign and loaded it onto a trailer on April 20 so it could be transported to the school.

The repair has practical consequences for a town that still relies on the sign to help communicate wildfire risk during dry or windy stretches. Donated funds from the Sunapee Fire Department Association will help pay for the restoration, but the sign’s temporary absence means residents need to use the town’s other fire-warning tools instead of checking the roadside display.

Those backups are built into the state system. New Hampshire’s Daily Fire Danger classification, posted by the Forest Protection Bureau, is updated each weekday morning, with the weekend classification for Saturday and Sunday posted Friday afternoon. The Town of Sunapee says its website reflects that system, showing the current fire danger level and flagging when burn permits are required.

The state also says anyone who wants an outdoor fire in New Hampshire must get a permit in advance from the local fire department on days when the Daily Fire Danger conditions show it is safe to burn. State officials say the permit process helps educate the public and helps track controlled burns so they are not mistaken for wildfire smoke.

That makes the missing sign more than a minor maintenance issue. In a community where brush fires, burn restrictions and wildfire awareness are seasonal concerns, the roadside display is one piece of a larger public-safety network. Sunapee Fire’s notice showed how that network works in practice: the fire department identified the problem, the highway department handled the removal, students took on the repair work, and the department association provided funding support.

The town’s fire and EMS page also places the update inside an established department structure. It lists Matthew Pollari as assistant fire chief and says he was promoted from captain to assistant chief after nearly 30 years with Sunapee Fire, including 25 years as captain. For now, the message from town is straightforward: if the sign is off-site for repair, check the website and email alerts for elevated fire danger or a no-burn ban. In spring burn season, that kind of redundancy is part of what keeps a basic warning system credible.