All fires prohibited on private property, in forest areas and in campgrounds

Contact: Brian Bovaird, Director of Emergency Management

SUMMIT COUNTY – The Summit County Board of Commissioners have enacted Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, effective Wednesday, October 21. The commissioners enacted the change during a Special Emergency meeting Tuesday evening, in recognition of higher fire danger resulting from lack of precipitation, a return to higher temperatures in recent weeks, the continuation of severe wildfire activity across the Western Slope, and the lack of firefighting resources.

Under Stage 2 Restrictions, fires are prohibited in picnic areas, campgrounds, private property and forested areas.

The following activities and uses are also prohibited under Stage 2 Restrictions:

• Use of charcoal grills;
• Fires in chimeneas, or any other outdoor fireplace or manufactured recreational fire device, regardless of any permit previously issued by the local fire district;
• Use of explosives, tracer ammunition or explosive targets;
• Use or sale of fireworks;
• Pile burns, regardless of previously issued permits;
• Inflation or propulsion of a hot air balloon; AND
• Use of any engine without a properly functioning spark arresting device.

The following activities and uses are permitted under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions:

• Use of gas grills and wood pellet grills
• Any fire contained within a fireplace, stove, wood burning stove or pellet stove designed for and located within a fully enclosed permanent structure
• Use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs); OHVs must remain on designated routes; if parked, OHVs must be in a barren area free of flammable vegetation, within 10 feet of the route or in a designated parking area.
• Smoking; smoking must take place a minimum of 3 feet from natural vegetation or other flammable material; all smoking materials, including cigarettes and matches, must be fully extinguished, cooled and disposed of in a designated receptacle.
• Use of an open-flame torch device; the operator must have immediate access to a fire extinguisher and be at least 15 feet from natural vegetation or other flammable material.
• Use of a chainsaw; the operator must have immediate access to a minimum 2A:10B:C dry chemical fire extinguisher.

“We are witnessing the convergence of unprecedented wildfire conditions for this late in the season combined with the sustained effects of climate change and increased usage of the forest during hunting season” Summit County commissioner Karn Steigelmeier said. “With long term forecasts providing no favorable change in conditions we must protect our forests and our community through these increased restrictions.”

In coordination with these Stage two restrictions, Summit County will enact a full administrative closure of the Summit County Shooting Range until further notice. Wildfires can be ignited by hot ammunition fragments. Exploding targets and tracer ammunition are prohibited in Summit County.

According to the National Weather Service, Summit County is projected to have below-normal precipitation and higher-than-normal temperatures over the next several weeks. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that Summit County is experiencing “extreme or exceptional drought” conditions.

Summit County’s towns, law-enforcement agencies and fire departments are united in reminding residents and visitors of the danger these conditions present particularly with firefighting resources stretched so thin across the state and the west. Through an intergovernmental agreement, the towns of Blue River, Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco and Silverthorne will enter Stage 2 Fire Restrictions in concert with the County.

Summit County’s law-enforcement agencies will be enforcing the Stage 2 restrictions on open fires prompted by the extreme wildfire danger in the high country.

For more information about current fire restrictions and wildfire prevention, visit www.SummitCountyCO.gov/wildfire.

Register for emergency notifications at www.SCAlert.org.