Monday, June 17, 2013 at 12:00pm, Sheriff Joe Pelle will amend the current fire ban to include the entire mountain area of Boulder County. The fire ban will be in effect until the Sheriff finds that the current hazardous conditions have subsided.

The dry conditions, along with the consistent reports of new large fires across Colorado and the western United States, have moved many federal fire aviation and ground crew resources out of the area. In addition, the holiday camping season is close at hand, increasing the potential for human caused fires.

The United States Forest Service sampled fuels in the Sugarloaf area last week. This included large dead and down logs and also the live tree moistures. Both fuel types are trending towards “very high” fire danger in nature to our local 10- year average. Samples were also taken at higher elevations west of Nederland which included Bunce School, Caribou and the West Magnolia recreational areas. The samples demonstrated the same drying pattern.

Sample of drying pattern

This amended fire ban area includes any and all unincorporated areas of Boulder County west of Colorado Highway 93 from its intersection with the southern boundary of Boulder County until and including its intersection with Colorado Highway 119; west of Broadway Avenue in the City of Boulder from its intersection with Colorado Highway 119 until and including its intersection with United States Highway 36; west of United States Highway 36 from its intersection with Broadway Avenue until its intersection with the northern boundary of Boulder County; west of the western boundary of Rabbit Mountain Open Space including United States Highway 36; and all of Rabbit Mountain Open Space.
(See attached map)

Map showing Fire Ban area

State statutes authorize counties to impose a fire ban “to a degree and in a manner that the Board of County Commissioners deem 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 amended fire ban allows for:

  • Indoor fires in fireplaces or stoves.
  • Smoking indoors or within an enclosed vehicle.
  • Campfires in improved and maintained public campgrounds that are currently open to the public, as long as the actual size of such fire is smaller than two feet in diameter by three feet in height.
  • Liquid or gas fuel stoves use on private and public lands.
  • Charcoal grill use on private and public land.
  • Smoking outdoors in areas free of flammable material.

The amended fire ban prohibits:

  • All other outdoor burning, slash fires, use of any kind of fireworks, model rockets, and all other outdoor spark or flame producing activities.

The fire ban does not affect open fires within incorporated cities and towns; however citizens must comply with applicable ordinances and regulations in their 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.

For current fire and shooting restrictions for United States Forest Service properties go to the following website:http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/arp/alerts-notices

For current fire restrictions in Eldorado Canyon State Park go to the following website:http://www.parks.state.co.us/Parks/eldoradocanyon/Pages/EldoradoCanyonHome.aspx

This media release may be found on the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office website at: http://www.bouldersheriff.org