Several Colorado counties under burn bans Wednesday due to wildfire potential

DENVER — Several Colorado counties enacted burn bans Wednesday as the third wildfire in as many days burned in the Front Range Wednesday.

Stage 2 fire restrictions were implemented for Douglas County as well as unincorporated areas in Arapahoe County, Centennial, Foxfield, and Deer Trail.

Under Stage 2 fire restrictions, exploding targets (including Tannerite), tracer ammunition and incendiary devices (including fireworks) are prohibited, as are building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, including charcoal briquette fire.

Smoking while traveling in timber, brush or grass areas is also prohibited, as is using a chainsaw without an approved spark arrester.

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What’s allowed under Stage 2 fire restrictions? People can have propane fuel stoves or heating devices that have an on/off switch and you can smoke inside your vehicle, a trailer or in a building.

For those using a chainsaw, you must have an approved spark arrester, a 2A rated fire extinguisher, and a round pointed shovel at least 35 inches available, according to U.S. Forest Service .

Other counties under Stage 1 fire restrictions

Jefferson County, where the Quarry Fire is currently burning west of Ken Caryl, is under temporary Stage 1 fire restrictions.

Unincorporated areas of Western Boulder County, where the Stone Canyon Fire is burning , are also under such restrictions, which have been in effect since July 1.

So what’s not allowed during a Stage 1 fire restrictions?

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using an open fire, campfire, or stove fire on public lands. This includes charcoal barbecues and grills;
• Fireworks sales, use, and possession, including permissible fireworks;
• Shooting or discharge of firearms for recreational purposes on public lands except for hunting with a valid and current hunting license on public lands;
• Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials;
• Operating a chainsaw or any internal or external combustion engine without a USDA or SAE approved spark arrester properly installed and in effective working order, a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher kept with the operator and one round point shovel with an overall length of at least 35 inches readily available for use;
• Welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter and in possession of a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher;
• Using an explosive or doing any kind of blasting work; and
• Parking motorized vehicles in grass or vegetated area that can come in contact with the underside of the vehicle.
• Fireworks and exploding targets.

Several Colorado counties under burn bans Wednesday due to potential for more wildfires

Whoa. That seems like a lot. Are there any exceptions?

There are.

Fires are allowed in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates within developed Forest Service camp and picnic grounds or recreation sites and petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns or eating devices that meet the factor underwriter’s specifications for safety. Fires that are maintained or attended within a device that has a speak arrestor or where the fire is fully enclosed within a screen at all times is allowed.

Any federal, state or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty is exempt from Prohibitions #1, #3, #4 and #5.

Can state officials really ban me from doing all those things under Stage 1 restrictions?

Colorado state statutes authorize counties to impose fire restrictions, "to a degree and in a manner that the Board of County Commissioners deems necessary to reduce the danger of wildfires within those portions of the unincorporated areas of the county where the danger of forest or grass fires is found to be high based on competent evidence."

The maximum penalty for violating a restriction order is $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for corporations and/or 6 months imprisonment. The maximum penalty would be imposed by the Federal Magistrate following a court appearance.

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