DENVER — Cities, counties and even Colorado's most renowned national park have enacted fire bans due to the potential threat of more wildfires burning across the state this week as hot and dry weather conditions persist through the end of the week.
Stage 2 fire restrictions went into effect Thursday at Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) "due to the extreme fire danger, the extended weather forecast, and current fire activity in the State of Colorado," said RMNP spokeswoman Kyle Patterson in a statement.
The last time a total fire ban (Stage 2 fire restrictions) was in place in the park was in August of 2020, Patterson wrote.
Stage 2 fire restrictions were also implemented for unincorporated areas of Adams and Arapahoe County, all of Boulder and Douglas counties, Clear Creek County, the City and County of Broomfield, Delta County, El Paso and Elbert counties, Jefferson County, as well as for all areas of unincorporated Larimer County. Castle Rock, Centennial, Deer Trail, Foxfield, Littleton, Parker, and portions of unincorporated Weld county.
A list of additional counties under Stage 2 fire restrictions can be found on the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website here.
Here's what you can and cannot do under Stage 2 fire restrictions
- Recreational shooting is banned
- Campfires or barbecues, even in developed fire rings, are prohibited, as is the use of charcoal briquettes
- Smoking is only allowed inside an enclosed space without vegetation, but doing so while traveling in timber, brush or grass areas is banned
- Using a chainsaw without an approved spark arrester, a 2A rated fire extinguisher and a round point shovel at least 35 inches in height is not allowed
- Only professional fireworks displays are allowed
- Operating an acetylene torch outdoors? You'll need a permit to do so, otherwise, it's prohibited.
- 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.
Wildfire
Multiple wildfires rage in Colorado amid hot, dry conditions. Here's the latest
Other counties under Stage 1 fire restrictions
Unincorporated areas of Montrose County were under a temporary Stage 1 fire restrictions.
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.
Whoa. That seems like a lot. Are there any exceptions under Stage 1 fire restrictions?
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.
Wildfires are now a year-round threat in Colorado. Denver7 is committed to covering their impact and the people working to find solutions to the threat.