Fires, Floods, Snow extremes
Breaking news about Wild Land Fires & Floods and snow storms in the Boulder, Colorado area.
Boulder Sheriff’s fire ban extends to county borders
Jun 17th
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.
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)
(See attached map)
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
The heat is on–partII
Jun 13th
City of Boulder enacts fire restrictions on Open Space & Mountain Parks lands and bans use of charcoal grills in city parks
Due to a Boulder County fire ban, the City of Boulder has implemented a City Manager’s Rule banning all sources of fire including camp stoves and smoking on all Open Space & Mountain Parks (OSMP) properties. OSMP imposes these bans during extreme fire hazard conditions for public safety and resource protection. Fire danger is currently at a very high level.
In addition, users of the following City of Boulder parks are prohibited from using park charcoal grills and no charcoal grills may be brought into the specified parks due to the proximity to natural lands and forests, until further notice:
● Chautauqua Park, located at Grant Street and Baseline Road
● Eben G. Fine Park, located at 3rd Street and Arapahoe Avenue
Gas grills are only allowed in the Chautauqua Park green area and in Eben G. Fine Park with a permit. To obtain a permit, the Parks and Recreation Department requires two weeks’ notice and a $100 deposit. Eben G. Fine Park also requires a shelter rental. For information, call the Parks and Recreation administrative offices at 303-413-7200 or visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org.
Violators are subject to criminal prosecution with penalties up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. OSMP and Boulder firefighters appreciate the public’s cooperation.
–CITY–
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The heat is on, Jack.
Jun 13th
Boulder Fire-Rescue to begin severity patrols in west Boulder and foothills
In response to an increased wild land fire risk related to current weather conditions, Boulder Fire-Rescue will conduct daily “severity patrols” in Boulder’s urban interface areas and surrounding open space. This is being done in order to closely monitor conditions and to provide a quick response should a fire be spotted or reported.
This proactive approach was also used last summer, when a crew on routine patrol was the first to respond at the scene of the Flagstaff fire. That quick response, coupled with extensive mutual aid and timely aerial support, proved beneficial in limiting the fire to 300 acres.
The severity patrols are scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 13, 2013 and will continue indefinitely. Crews will patrol areas both inside of and adjacent to the city of Boulder, concentrating on the western edges of town, from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. The patrols will take place seven days a week.
Three-person wild land crews will staff a Type 6 brush truck. The size of the brush truck allows it to access areas which would be difficult for larger equipment to navigate. The truck carries approximately 300 gallons of water, hoses and tools.
Wild land firefighting techniques are different than the techniques used to fight building fires in urban areas. Wild land crews use hand tools and chain saws to remove trees and brush, in essence “starving” the fire of fuel. Water is used in the clean up stages and is not considered the main fire suppression strategy.
Severity patrols are being conducted by both City of Boulder crews and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. This will allow for a timely response along the western edge of the city.
— CITY–
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