Stage 1 fire restrictions are in effect for western portions of Boulder County as of 12:01 a.m. On August 12, following an announcement from Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson on Monday. The fire restrictions will remain in effect until hazardous weather conditions subside.
Stage 1 fire restrictions prohibit open fires, campfires, and stove fires on public lands, including charcoal barbecues and grills. Firework sales, use, and possession are all prohibited. Recreational firearm shooting is prohibited on public lands without a valid and current hunting license for public lands.
The restrictions also prohibit outdoor smoking unless on a developed recreation site, or in an area with at least three feet in diameter without any flammable materials. Use of chainsaws and gas-powered equipment is prohibited without a uSDA or SAE approved spark arrester properly installed and in working order. Welding and use of explosives are also restricted during the current fire restrictions for western areas of Boulder County.
The National Weather Service issued a weather advisory for August 12 in the Boulder/Denver area, stating that gusty winds up to 40 miles per hour are expected during the day and night. This will be followed by temperatures in the upper 90s on August 13 and 14. Scattered showers and increased moisture are expected during the day on August 15 and 16, with dry conditions returning for early next week.
The Boulder County statement includes a map showing the extent of the fire restrictions. It includes all of the Rabbit Mountain Open Space property as well as areas west of Colorado Highway 93, west of Broadway Avenue, west of US-36, and west of Rabbit Mountain Open Space.
People can still have a fire on private property if using a fully enclosed device that uses wood, pressed logs, or charcoal. Private property fires are also allowed if using a device that uses gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel and has a functional shut-off valve. Under all circumstances, the fire must be in an area with at least three feet of diameter that is barren or without any flammable material. Several campgrounds continue to allow campfires in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates.
These restrictions come as firefighters continue to battle the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado history in Meeker, currently burning over 120,000 acres with just six-percent containment.
