Several Colorado counties issues fire restrictions due to fire danger

DENVER — At least three Colorado counties have issued fire restrictions so far this summer due to an increase in fire danger from lack of moisture and expected hot temperatures over the next coming days.

Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnston announced Stage 1 fire restrictions on Monday for unincorporated areas of western Boulder County.

The areas under the Stage 1 fire restriction include:

• West of CO Highway 93 (CO-93), from its intersection with the southern boundary of Boulder County until, and including, its intersection with CO Highway 119 (CO-119);
• West of Broadway Avenue in the City of Boulder, from its intersection with CO-119 until, and including, its intersection with US Highway 36 (US-36);
• West of US-36, from its intersection with Broadway Avenue until its intersection with the northern boundary of Boulder County;
• West of the western boundary of the Rabbit Mountain Open Space until, and including, US-36; and;
• All of the Rabbit Mountain Open Space property.

A map of the areas under the Stage 1 fire restrictions can be seen below.

Boulder County Sheriff's Office

Those looking to recreate over the next several days can do so in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates, which in Boulder County include:

• Kelly Dahl Campground
• Rainbow Lakes Campground
• Camp Dick Campground
• Peaceful Valley Campground
• Meeker Park Campground
• Olive Ridge Campground
• Brainard Lake Recreation Area (Includes Pawnee Campground)

Gilpin County to issue Stage 1 fire restrictions on Tuesday, July 2, beginning at 5 p.m.

Gilpin County officials on Facebook said Thursday they would be implementing Stage 1 fire restrictions beginning Tuesday, July 2, at 5 p.m.

The following is not allowed under those 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.

Elbert County goes a step further, issues Stage 2 fire restrictions:

Late last month, Elbert County officials issued Stage 2 fire restrictions, which are more stringent than those at Stage 1 and which prohibit pretty much all fires except the following:

• Use of indoor fireplaces and wood-burning stoves with an approved chimney spark arrestor.
• Fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, grills, fire pits, or other gas or liquid-fueled appliances.
• Residential use of charcoal grill fires and smokers when such use is supervised by a responsible party at least 18 years of age.
• Fire suppression or fire department training fires.
• Discharge of firearms.

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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