In a release issued early Wednesday afternoon, Aug 19, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze moved the county back into fire restrictions, declaring that Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will go into effect at 6:00 p.m. today.
“Due to the continuous drying conditions coupled with the four major wildland fires burning in the State of Colorado which have depleted available firefighting resources, the unincorporated lands of Chaffee County will move back into Stage 2 Fire Restrictions,” said Spezze in the release. “Stage 2 Fire Restrictions prohibit all open flames, including any type of open burning, fireworks, exploding targets, and charcoal grills. Gas grills are allowed as long as the flame can be shut off with a valve.”
View of the 2019 Decker Fire, courtesy of the Decker Fire Facebook Page.
The Sheriff made the announcement in concert with the Royal Gorge Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which has moved into Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on BLM lands within Chaffee, Fremont, and Lake Counties. Lake County itself moved to fire restrictions last week.
The Sheriff has also been in contact with the United States Forest Service (USFS), San Isabel National Forest, and they anticipate moving back into fire restrictions by late this week or early next week.
The BLM statement noted that current and forecasted weather, coupled with dry conditions, have prompted the BLM’s Royal Gorge Field Office to again implement fire restrictions on BLM-managed lands in Lake, Chaffee, and Fremont counties.
The statement went on to say that in addition to the heightened risk for fires, increased fire activity in Colorado and beyond has limited the availability of firefighting resources in the region. BLM Stage 1 fire restrictions will go into effect today, August 19, 2020, in these three counties.
“Hot and dry conditions have increased fire danger in these counties,” said Royal Gorge Field Office Manager Keith Berger. “We urge those using public lands to be careful with fire and prevent human-caused wildfires when recreating.”
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on BLM land prohibit the following acts:
- Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites. Devices using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel are permitted.
- Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
- Operating a chainsaw without a USDA or SAE approved spark arrester properly installed and working, a chemical fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity by weight, and one round-point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches.
- Using a welder, either arc or gas, or operating acetylene or another torch with an open flame, except in cleared areas of at least 10 feet in diameter with a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher of not less than 8 ounces capacity.
- Using exploding targets.
Year-around, the following fire restrictions are in place to prevent wildfires on BLM-administered public lands in Colorado:
- No leaving a fire unattended or unextinguished.
- No possession, discharge, or use of any fireworks.
- No discharge of a firearm using incendiary or tracer ammunition.
- No burning, igniting, or causing to burn any tire, wire, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive material.
- No operation of any off-road vehicle on public lands unless the vehicle is equipped with a properly installed spark arrester pursuant to 43 CFR 8343.1(c).
The restrictions in these three counties are in addition to fire restrictions already in place on BLM-managed lands in many counties across the Royal Gorge Field Office. BLM lands in Park County are in Stage 2 fire restrictions.
Stage 1 fire restrictions continue for BLM lands in Custer, El Paso, Huerfano, Las Animas, Pueblo, Teller, and Boulder counties.
For more information about current fire restrictions in the Royal Gorge Field Office, please visit the Rocky Mountain District Fire Restrictions page.
Fire restrictions will be in place until further notice. In addition to criminal penalties, those found responsible for starting wildfires may also face restitution costs of suppressing the fire.
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