Jefferson County, CO. – Effective at 12 a.m. on Thursday, October 4, 2019, Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader will implement temporary Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for all lands in Jefferson County.

These restrictions are being enacted due to current dry conditions and the continued high fire danger condition within Jefferson County. Conditions will continue to be monitored and restrictions will be adjusted when necessary.

Jeffco Open Space, CO and Denver Mountain Parks are on year-round Stage 2 restrictions.

Pursuant to the Annual Operating Plan regarding the implementation of fire restrictions and fire bans, and due to the continuing high fire danger conditions within Jefferson County, the following activities are prohibited under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in the restricted portions of the county:

o Building, maintaining, attending, or using any fire or recreational campfire, except a recreational fire within a permanently constructed fire grate in a developed park, campground, private residence, or picnic area.

NOTE: Individuals building exempted, private residential recreational campfires, as described above, are encouraged to contact their local fire agency and advise start and finish times to alleviate smoke responses.

o Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area of at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all combustible material. (2015 IFC 310.8)

o Open burning, including “bon fires” that require a permit from the fire authority having jurisdiction. (2015 IFC 105.6.30)

o The use of all fireworks, as defined below.

NOTE: Burn permits issued and not executed prior to the effective date of these temporary fire restrictions shall not be authorized unless approved by the issuing agency on the day of execution.

Exemptions approved under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:

o Use of liquid or gas fueled appliances.

o Approved wood pellet grills.

o Charcoal barbeque grills not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2015 IFC 308.1.6)

o Portable outdoor fireplaces not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2015 IFC 307.4.3)

o Welding and cutting torch appliances, as defined below, may only be operated in an area not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2015 IFC 308.1.6)

o Recreational fires not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2015 IFC 307.4.2)

o Permitted fires by persons with a permit specifically authorizing a prohibited act such as professional fireworks displays. Contact must be made with the permitting authority to verify the status of permits issued prior to the establishment of burn restrictions.

o Fire department/district training fires.

o Burning of explosive wastes by manufacturers of explosives in areas zoned for industrial use, when the burning is supervised by the fire protection district.

o Open fires or open burning by any federal, state, or local officer in the performance of official fire suppression functions.

Individuals operating under any of the above exemptions shall take adequate measures to prevent uncontrolled fires. Possible measures include, but are not limited to:

o Containers of adequate water or dry soil nearby.

o Shovels, fire extinguishers, or other extinguishing agents nearby.

o Coordination with the local fire department or district to be on scene or standby during an activity.

Definitions:

Fireworks: As defined in section 12-28-101(3) C.R.S and shall specifically include “permissible fireworks” as defined in section 12-28-101(8) C.R.S.

International Fire Code (IFC): Latest adopted fire code within Jefferson County, currently the 2015 edition.

Liquid or gas fueled appliances: Appliances such as fire pits, grills, camp stoves, and Tiki torches that burn liquid or gaseous fuels and can be shut off. This does not include any device that burns solid fuels such as wood or charcoal and which must be extinguished.

Open fire and open burning: Any outdoor fire larger than a recreational fire and not contained within a portable outdoor fireplace. This includes but is not limited to campfires, bonfires, warming fires, the lighting of any fused explosives, permissible fireworks, the use of model rockets, “sky lanterns”, and the burning of fence lines or rows, grass lands, fields, farm lands, ditches, range lands, and wild lands. Permits from the fire district are required for open fires.

Portable outdoor fireplace: A commercially purchased portable, outdoor, solid-fuel-burning fireplace that may be constructed of steel, concrete, clay, or other non-combustible material. A portable outdoor fireplace may be open in design, or may be equipped with a small hearth opening and a short chimney or chimney opening at the top. These devices must be operated according to the manufactures’ instructions with all covers, screens, spark arresters, and grates in place. Portable outdoor fireplaces shall not be operated within 30 feet of a structure or combustible material.

Recreational fire: An outdoor fire burning material other than rubbish or debris where the fuel being burned is not contained in a portable outdoor fireplace or barbecue grill and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes. This includes fires in barrels and drums; fixed, permanent outdoor fireplaces; and barbecue pit fires.

Undeveloped areas: Lands that are not groomed, manicured, or watered, where grasses, brush, and trees have been allowed to grow in a natural environment. This includes green belts that are not landscaped or manicured, open space lands, non-manicured park lands, and other areas where the fire hazard presented by the vegetation is determined to be an undue wildland fire hazard.

Welding and cutting torch appliances: Gas cylinder mixtures, electric and/or portable powered welders, and cutting appliances which produce heat, flame, sparks, molten metal slag, etc.

Pursuant to County Policy Part 3, Chapter 6 Section Authorizing the Declaration of Open Fire Bans, violations of these prohibitions, upon conviction, is punishable by a fine of not more than $600.00. Such act(s) violate section(s) 102.8 and/or 308.2 of the International Fire Code.