Fire restrictions kick in across northwest Colorado
Grand County’s Stage 1 fire ban was in full effect Wednesday and federal land managers are following suit.
The Arapaho National Forest and Bureau of Land Management also began Stage 1 fire restrictions on Wednesday. The BLM has extended the Stage 1 restrictions to BLM administered lands in Grand, Jackson, Eagle, Summit, Larimer, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties.
On US Forest Service lands, violation of Stage 1 fire restrictions could result in a maximum fine of $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, imprisonment for more than six months, or both.
“Much of Grand County is experiencing extreme to exceptional drought conditions,” said Cody Peel, fire and aviation staff officer for the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. “Vegetation across the Grand County is rapidly drying out, and the fire danger indices are already where they were when last year’s historic fires occurred.”
Much of the West Slope has introduced increased fire restrictions among dry and hot conditions. Nearby counties including Eagle, Summit, Moffat and Routt also have enacted Stage 1 fire restrictions.
Under Stage 1 restrictions, campfires are banned outside designated, permanent fire rings and portable stoves. Smoking outside near vegetation, welding, using a chainsaw without a spark arrester and using explosives such as fireworks are also prohibited.
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