DENVER – Seven wildfires are currently burning in Colorado and state officials have implemented fire restrictions in several counties with the hope of mitigating fire danger during the summer months.
So what are Stage 1 Fire Restrictions and why should you care about following them a tee?
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions help land management agencies prevent wildfires during “periods of high to extreme fire danger,” according to fire officials.
What’s not allowed during Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:
1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire. This includes charcoal barbecues and grills.
Exceptions: 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.
2. Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
3. Operating or using any internal combustion engine without spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order.
4. Welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame.
5. Fireworks and exploding targets.
Counties that are under current Stage 1 Fire Restrictions
Tere are several counties, at least one town and one national forest under Stage 1 fire restrictions. Places that are under the fire restrictions are:
Park County, Pitkin County, Boulder County, Jefferson County, Douglas County, the White River National Forest and much of Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Rio Blanco and Summit counties, as well as the Town of Parker.
You can check our full map of current counties under fire restrictions by clicking here.
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