Ouray County commissioners on Tuesday submitted a letter to the U.S. Forest Service thanking the government agency for its unusually speedy announcement of the cause of the Simms Fire — and urging them to continue cooperating with local government.

“No amount of restoration or compensation can return the lost home, structures, belongings or pet(s) of the family who lost theirs,” the letter said. Commissioners asked the agency to “make timely and full restitution to the landowners, perform...