The unincorporated areas of Fremont County remain under a fire ban with Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker imposing 'Stage One' fire restrictions as defined under a new ordinance adopted by the Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
The fire ban ordinance spells out fire related activities permitted and prohibited under three well defined stages of restrictions. Stage One outlines minimum fire restrictions while Stage Three limitations are the most restrictive. Sheriff Beicker said that while some areas of the county have received some rainfall in recent days, critical fire weather conditions still justify imposing Stage One restrictions.
The State One restrictions prohibit all open fires, open burning, and smoking; all agricultural burning, use of fireworks and explosives, and open fires using rock ring burn pits. The exceptions which are permitted under stage one restrictions include open fires only at developed recreation sites or improved sites; charcoal, propane, or other contained fuel grills; open fires in metal fire rings in campgrounds and parks; smoking only within enclosed vehicles or buildings, at a recreation site, or within a designated smoking area with an approved container for discarding of cigarette butts; use of approved spark arrestors on internal combustion engines; and outdoor welding and grinding with proper distance from combustible materials as long as there is proper fire protection and suppression equipment available.
Sheriff Beicker says the new Stage One limitations parallel similar restrictions now in effect in the Canon City Fire Protection District and the Florence Fire Protection District.
Under a resolution also adopted by the Board, the Commissioners granted authority to the Sheriff to impose or lift fire restrictions on his own, based upon existing conditions.
The fire ban ordinance spells out fire related activities permitted and prohibited under three well defined stages of restrictions. Stage One outlines minimum fire restrictions while Stage Three limitations are the most restrictive. Sheriff Beicker said that while some areas of the county have received some rainfall in recent days, critical fire weather conditions still justify imposing Stage One restrictions.
The State One restrictions prohibit all open fires, open burning, and smoking; all agricultural burning, use of fireworks and explosives, and open fires using rock ring burn pits. The exceptions which are permitted under stage one restrictions include open fires only at developed recreation sites or improved sites; charcoal, propane, or other contained fuel grills; open fires in metal fire rings in campgrounds and parks; smoking only within enclosed vehicles or buildings, at a recreation site, or within a designated smoking area with an approved container for discarding of cigarette butts; use of approved spark arrestors on internal combustion engines; and outdoor welding and grinding with proper distance from combustible materials as long as there is proper fire protection and suppression equipment available.
Sheriff Beicker says the new Stage One limitations parallel similar restrictions now in effect in the Canon City Fire Protection District and the Florence Fire Protection District.
Under a resolution also adopted by the Board, the Commissioners granted authority to the Sheriff to impose or lift fire restrictions on his own, based upon existing conditions.