After a 42-year career in fire services, Vail Fire and Emergency Services Chief Mark Novak has announced his retirement. His last day at the town will be May 15.

Novak came to Vail 11 years ago from Lake Tahoe with extensive experience in fire prevention and wildfire threat mitigation. In Vail, he built a wildfire resiliency program and led the development of the Fire Free Five program, which encourages defensible space around homes and is mandatory for all new construction.

Among his accomplishments, Novak counts changing the staffing model in the department to better align with risk. He created the Battalion Chief position, increased shift staffing, expanded the fire prevention division and created a Short-Term Rental Inspector position. Today, the department operates three fire stations with teams that provide fire suppression, EMS and specialized rescue.

Novak started his career in 1984 in San Diego County before relocating to Lake Tahoe, where he served as Fire Marshal and Assistant Chief in the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District.

Novak has an unwavering commitment to creating wildfire-resilient communities and said he has considered it a privilege to serve the Vail community. Novak and his team aggressively focused on community education and assistance, including free curbside chipping, community workdays and offering property owners financial assistance to implement Fire Free Five zones.

Novak has contributed his expertise through articles on wildfire preparedness to Fire Rescue1, the information resource for the fire service.

In recent years, Novak celebrated with his team a push-in ceremony with the arrival of a state-of-the-art fire truck in 2022. In 2024, Novak, working with the U.S. Forest Service, finalized a 3,000-acre fuels reduction project in East Vail.

Vail Town Manager Russell Forrest said Novak was crucial in making Vail more resilient to wildland fire and more prepared for the unexpected. “Mark has also been a leader nationally, with his active participation in the International Association of Fire Chiefs and in the state on the Colorado Fire Commission,” Forrest said. “We look forward to Mark continuing to give us advice as a resident of Vail.”

Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Ocepek has been appointed as the interim Fire Chief while a recruitment process is underway. For more information on Vail Fire and Emergency Services, visit www.vail.gov/fire.