Chris Coté, owner and operator of Wildfire Fit, has 20 years of experience fighting fires with the Latir Fire Department with whom he rose to the rank of Fire Chief. Chris has seven years of experience with the Red River Fire Chasers with whom he rose to the rank of Foreman (the second-in-command). He started his own business approximately three years ago.
Coté grew up in New Hampshire. He recalls his inspiration for firefighting: “When I was a kid we went to a 4th of July show and some of the fireworks malfunctioned and started a fire. I remember everyone in the bleachers was running away from the fire except for my uncle and stepfather. They were both firefighters and we were all running towards the fire. That’s what makes a firefighter.”
Before he moved here in 1992, he had traveled all over the country, doing odd jobs. One day he visited Taos and fell in love with the diversity of cultures he saw here. “It’s a place to put down roots,” said Coté in a phone interview with the Questa del Rio News. “People come here from all over the world and they bring their cultures with them. It’s a beautiful thing.”
New Hampshire generally has a very insular culture, with not a lot of movement of people. New Mexico generally has more people coming in and out, making for a richer spring of experiences, which is what he loves about this part of the country.
Coté specializes in wildfire mitigation services, including homeowner fire mitigation, fuel reduction, and prescription burning. He is certified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and he serves clients throughout northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.
Coté is available for on-site visits to a property. His consultation includes surveying the property, and consultation on how to make the property more resistant to wildfires. He also works with Questa’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan Core Team as well as the Taos Valley Watershed Coalition, two local organizations dedicated to improving Taos County’s wildfire resistance; they are always in need of more volunteers.
Current Fire Conditions: https://nmfireinfo.com/
