Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with Pagosa Fire Protection District, hereby notifies residents of Archuleta County that the current Stage 2 fire restriction will be rescinded effective immediately on Thursday, July 23.
Archuleta County will, however, remain in Stage 1 fire restriction status.
Prohibited activities under Stage 1:
• Open burning and campfires: Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire or stove fire is strictly prohibited outside of developed areas. This includes charcoal briquette grills and coal or wood-burning stoves on all private unincorporated lands.
• Smoking: Smoking outdoors is prohibited unless you are within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or stopped in an outdoor area at least 3 feet in diameter that is completely barren and cleared of all flammable materials.
• Fireworks and explosives: The use of all fireworks, rockets, exploding targets, tracer ammunition or incendiary rounds is strictly prohibited.
• Open flame torch work: Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame is prohibited, except within a cleared area of at least 10 feet in diameter and with a pressurized fire extinguisher immediately available.
Allowed activities:
• Developed areas only (an area cleared of all flammable materials including dry vegetation):
Recreational campfires are allowed only within permanently constructed noncombustible steel, concrete, stone or brick barriers with a grate covering the entire open portion of the structure, not exceeding 2 feet by 2 feet in size, used to safely contain and isolate the fire inside developed areas, campground and picnic areas.
• Gas/liquid stoves: The use of portable stoves, lanterns or patio heating devices fueled by liquid petroleum gas, pressurized liquid fuel or gas is permitted, provided they can be turned off via a valve.
• Residential charcoal grills: Charcoal grill fires remain allowed within developed residential properties, though extreme caution is urged.
***All sources of fire shall be attended at all times and shall be fully extinguished upon completion. This means the total elimination of all heat and combustible material.***
Equipment requirements for chain saws: Operating a chain saw or any internal combustion engine is permitted only if it is equipped with a properly maintained, USDA- or SAE-approved spark arrestor. Operators must also have a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher and a round-point shovel (minimum length of 35 inches) readily available.
Penalties and enforcement:
Violations of these county-enacted fire restrictions are enforceable by law enforcement.
The Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office urges everyone to download the WatchDuty App and sign up for Nixle Emergency Alerts to stay informed on local fire updates and active incidents.
For more information, please visit the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office website at https://sheriff.archuletacounty.gov/.../fire-updates-and.../.
To report a suspected fire restriction violation or an active smoke plume, please call regional dispatch immediately at 911 or the non-emergency line at (970) 731-2160.
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