Fire restrictions growing across the state, firefighters remind us how to extinguish campfires

The list of fire bans in our state is growing by the day.           

Restrictions are now in place in several counties, including: Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Eagle, Elbert, El Paso, Huerfano, Jefferson, La Plata, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Montezuma, Park, Prowers and Teller counties.

Firefighters said we should all be more cautious this week. West Metro’s Wildlands Team said even green grass can go up in a hurry if temperatures, humidity and winds are just right.           

“We transitioned from out-of-state fires, quickly to the in-state fires,” said Lt. Brendan Finnegan with the West Metro Wildlands Team, Company 9. “They’ve been going rapidly and big in a hurry. The fuels are very susceptible to rapid changes.”

In light of news that an improperly extinguished campfire caused the Cold Springs Fire, Finnegan explains how to properly put out campfires.

"If you just use dirt with no water, all that material still has some grass particles,” he said. “Stuff in it that can burn. So, use water and mix it into a mud until you have no embers. Your responsibility is to stay with it until it is 100 percent out."

Finnegan said a small shovel or pick is a good tool to use.

The 60-member West Metro Wildlands Team is ready this week. One unit is currently dispatched to the Cold Springs Fire.

“Everybody should be heads-up that there's a lot of fuel out there," Finnegan said.