Heidi Prentup, Boulder County

On Tuesday, September 22, 2015, Sheriff Joe Pelle enacted a fire ban for the mountain area of Boulder County. The mountain area includes all unincorporated areas west of Highway 93, Broadway Avenue and Highway 36 (North and South Foothills Highways and Broadway Avenue in the City of Boulder) including Rabbit Mountain Open Space and west of Rabbit Mountain Open Space to Highway 36.

The fire ban prohibits:

* Slash fires

* The use of any kind of fireworks or model rockets

* All other outdoor spark or flame producing activities

* All outdoor burning not listed below as allowable

This fire ban allows for:

* Indoor fires in fireplaces or stoves

* Smoking indoors or within an enclosed vehicle

* Campfires in improved and maintained campgrounds that are currently open to the

public, as long as the fuel for such fires are smaller than two feet in diameter by three

feet in height.

* Liquid or gas fuel stove use

* Charcoal grill use on private land

* Smoking outdoors in areas free of flammable material

* Fires contained within maintained fire pits or grates on private land

The fire ban will be in effect until the sheriff finds that the hazardous conditions have subsided. The fire ban does not affect open fires within incorporated cities and towns, however residents must comply with applicable ordinances and regulations in the respective cities and towns.

Anyone found in violation of the fire ban may be convicted of a class 2 petty offense and may be subject to a $500 fine, in addition to any possible civil penalties. Higher fines may be imposed for subsequent offenses.

State statutes authorize counties to impose a fire ban “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.”

For current fire and shooting restrictions for United States Forest Service properties:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/arp/alerts-notices

For current fire restrictions in Eldorado Canyon State Park:

http://www.parks.state.co.us/Parks/eldoradocanyon/Pages/EldoradoCanyonHome.aspx

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Cherokee Blake, Gilpin County

Due to the weather conditions and the increased risk for fires, the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office will institute Stage 1 Fire Restrictions effective September 24, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. for Gilpin County.

The restrictions are as follows:

NO building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire* without a permit EXCEPT in a developed camp or picnic ground. The following actions ARE permitted:  petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices providing such devices meet the fire underwriters’ specifications for safety.

NO smoking unless 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 material.

NO operation of welding, acetylene, or other torches with an open flame.

NO operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order.

Exemptions:

Persons with a permit specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission.

Resident owners and leasers of land within the restricted area are exempt from above restrictions providing such fires are within the residence.

Any Federal, State or Local Officer or member of an organized firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.

* A stove fire is defined as a campfire built inside an enclosed stove or grill, portable brazier, or a pressurized liquid or gas stove, including a space-heating device.

If you need further information, please call the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office at 303-582-1060 M-F 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or after hours call the Dispatch Office at 303-582-5500.