Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Enacted For Many Colorado Counties & Forest Land

(CBS4) - Several counties and Bureau of Land Management areas in Colorado are now, or soon will be, under Stage 1 fire restrictions. The Sulphur Ranger District in the Arapahoe National Forest announced the restrictions took effect at noon on Wednesday.

All land managed by Tres Rios and Uncompahgre Field Offices will implement the same restrictions on June 17.

Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Summit and Pitkin counties, the White River National Forest enact those restrictions on Friday, June 18.

Under stage 1 restrictions:

• Campfires are only allowed within designated fire grates in developed campgrounds (fire pans and rock campfire rings are not acceptable) They are not outside of a permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate the Forest Service installed and maintained.
• No fires of any type including charcoal outside of developed areas
• No smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or in a barren area free of vegetation
• No use of explosive materials, including explosive targets
• No welding or operation of an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame except from an area that has been cleared of vegetation
• No operation of any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed and in working order

Violators could face a fine of up to $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for more than six months, or both. If responsible for causing a wildfire, one could be held accountable for suppression costs of that fire.

In:
• Wildfire Smoke