DENVER — Officials from at least three Colorado counties have implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions with the hope of lowering the risk of wildfires due to low humidity and expected hot temperatures, which can up the chances of fire danger over the next several days.
So what are Stage 1 fire restrictions and why should you care about following them to a tee?
Stage 1 fire restrictions help land management agencies prevent wildfires during “periods of high to extreme fire danger,” according to fire officials.
How do land management agencies prevent wildfires during periods of high to extreme fire danger? By banning certain activities which could spark a fire.
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.
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.
