Stage 1 Fire Restrictions In Place In Summit County
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place in Summit County due to dry conditions. The restrictions were enacted Friday for lands administered by the U.S. Fire Service and Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM, White River National Forest, and Summit County Sheriff's Office will be enforcing several restrictions until further notice.
According to authorities, campfires are only allowed within designated fire grates in developed campgrounds, such as a metal, in-ground containment structure. Officers say fire pans and rock campfire rings are not acceptable and no fires of any type are allowed outside of developed areas.
Smoking is only allowed within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or in a barren area free of vegetation for at least a three foot diameter.
Explosives are banned, including explosive targets along with any welding or torch operation with an open flame, except from an area cleared of vegetation.
The fire restrictions also ban the operation of any internal combustion engine without an approved spark arresting device properly installed and in working order, a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 2A kept with the operator, and one round point shovel with an overall length of at least 35 inches readily available for use.
Summit County officially raised the fire danger level from moderate to high on Wednesday. It is the first county in the state to enact fire restrictions this year.
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