Larimer County commissioners voted 2-0 Tuesday to adopt increased fire restrictions for all unincorporated areas of the county beginning today through May 26, citing continued extreme wildfire danger caused by drought, high temperatures, and persistent dry, windy conditions.
County officials said the restrictions are necessary because wildfire, forest, and grass fire risks remain high despite the tremendous amount of snow that fell yesterday and is expected today along portions of the Front Range.
The restrictions apply across all climate zones in unincorporated Larimer County, including the Estes Valley. The county uses a zoned fire-restriction system that divides the area into three elevation bands: below 6,000 feet, between 6,000 and 9,000 feet, and above 9,000 feet.
Under the restrictions, open fires are prohibited, including fires in permanently constructed stationary masonry or metal fireplaces designed for combustion. Uncontained open fires also are banned, including outdoor charcoal, pellet and wood-burning stoves and grills.
Smoking outdoors is prohibited, including on trails, in parks, and in open spaces. The restrictions also ban combustible devices, including sky lanterns, exploding targets, and tracer ammunition.
Operating any device with an internal or external combustion engine without a properly installed and functioning spark arrestor also is prohibited.
Allowed activities under the restrictions include fireplaces or wood stoves located inside residences, gas- or liquid-fueled grills and camping stoves, and open burning conducted for official forest management purposes or under authorized burn permits.
County officials said anyone who knowingly violates the restrictions may face fines.
Larimer County also released updated legal definitions outlining the differences between contained open fires, uncontained open fires and gas- or liquid-fueled fires.
An interactive map showing the affected areas is available through Ageis, Larimer County’s online mapping system.
Legal Definitions
1. Combustible Devices shall mean any object which is flammable, explodes or is designed to or may cause fire. This includes sky lanterns, exploding ammunition, exploding targets, and tracer ammunition.
2. Open Fires shall include both contained open fires, uncontained open fires and gas or liquid-fueled fires.
a. “Contained Open Fires” shall mean open fire that is in a permanently constructed stationary masonry or metal fireplaces specifically designed for the purpose of combustion. Contained Open Fires shall not include fireplaces or wood stoves located inside a permanent structure, such as a residential dwelling or commercial business.
b. “Uncontained Open Fires” shall mean any fire (including but not limited to: campfire, fireplace, recreational fire, bonfire, firepit, etc…), coal, wood or pellet stove, fireplace, any type of charcoal, wood, or pellet fueled cooking, uncontained fire of any type in an undeveloped area including camp and cooking fires, welding, or operating acetylene or other torches with open flames.
c. “Gas or Liquid Fueled Fires” shall mean fires fueled by bottled gas or pressurized liquid, which shall include but is not limited to: portable heaters, cooking stoves, heating stoves, hiking/camping stoves, grills, firepits, fireplaces, etc.)
3. Open burning shall mean fire that a person starts and that is intentionally used for forest management.