Text from the Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
For
additional information, please June
20, 2012
contact:
Butch Knowlton at xxx-xxx-xxxx 11:55 a.m.
La Plata County Commissioners Enact Stage II Fire
Restrictions
Durango, CO – La Plata County continues
to experience above-average temperatures, dry winds, low humidity, and no
rain. As a result of these conditions,
La Plata County now has extremely dry conditions that can provide explosive
fire growth and behavior. Developing
drought conditions and larger wildland fires in the Southwest and other regions
of the U.S. have lead to equipment and personnel shortfalls which limit
response abilities from federal and regional response teams. The La Plata County Board of County
Commissioners today enacted Stage II fire restrictions effective immediately on
open burning in the unincorporated areas of La Plata County and upon all lands
owned by La Plata County excluding those private lands in the Towns of Bayfield
and Ignacio, the City of Durango, or any State, Federal or Tribal lands.
“All standing and ground
fuels have continued to dry and are now brown in many areas of the County which
increases the potential for the ignition of a wildfire,” explained Butch
Knowlton, Emergency Management Director. “Extreme drought conditions and
larger wildland fires have lead to equipment and personnel shortfalls which
limit our response abilities to new wildland fires. It’s so important for everyone to be
responsible and adhere to these restrictions, because one spark could lead to
disaster.” Mr. Knowlton strongly
cautions against the use of fireworks, saying “The greatest concern I have for
a wildfire is the use of fireworks.”
Stage II fire restrictions
build on the Stage I restrictions and prohibits the following activities:
• Open
burning, burn barrels and agricultural burning within all private land in the
unincorporated areas of La Plata County and within all land owned by La Plata
County.
• Building,
maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, coal or wood-burning stove,
any type of charcoal fueled broiler, or open fire of any type, except that
mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas (such as gas
grills), which allow the operator to control and extinguish the flame with a
valve are permitted.
• Smoking
in any open area where dry grasses or other combustible material may be
present, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
• Using
explosive materials (i.e. fireworks, blasting caps or incendiary devices that
may result in the ignition of flammable materials), except that public
fireworks displays celebrating July 4, 2012 under the control of local fire
departments or licensed fireworks professionals approved by the local authority
having jurisdiction will be permitted, and blasting in development areas or
construction areas with a continuous fire watch will be permitted with written
authorization of the appropriate fire chief or the Sheriff of La Plata County,
whomever has jurisdiction.
• Welding
or operating an acetylene or similar torch with open flame, except that welding
and cutting will be permitted with the following requirements: (1) a 40-foot
diameter safe zone free of vegetation, (2) a 2-1/2 gallon pressurized fire
extinguisher or a 5lb ABC extinguisher or a pressurized water supply and proper
hand tools must be on site, and (3) a fire watch individual must be standing by
continuously. Further, oil and gas
welding and cutting operations which are required to comply with the requirements
of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Rules for Fire Prevention
and Production, Rule 606A(o), shall be permitted and must be conducted with a
40-foot diameter safe zone.
• Operating
or using any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device
properly installed, maintained and in effective working order meeting either
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1a or Society of
Automotive Engineer (SAE) recommended practice J335(b) and J350(a).
• Operating
a chainsaw without a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher of not less than 8
ounces capacity by weight, and one size 0 or larger round pointed shovel with
an overall length of at least 36 inches.
The extinguisher shall be with the chainsaw operator. The shovel may be
kept with the fueling supplies but readily available.
• Flaring for oil and gas production wells
and production facilities, except that flaring may be allowed in the following
circumstances: (1) any flaring from established refineries is permitted, or (2)
flaring is permitted with the approval from the designated fire chief (or his
designee) for that district, or in the event no fire district exists for the
location of the proposed flaring, the La Plata County Director of the Office of
Emergency Management (OEM Director). In
advance of any flaring, operators shall notify the La Plata County Emergency
Communications Center at 970-385-2900 and the Ignacio Dispatch at 970-563-4401
or (970) 563-4402. Further, prior to the
installation of a drilling rig, operators are required to file a “Production
Well Emergency Response Information Form” (posted to the La Plata County
Website) with the La Plata County Office of Emergency Management informing the
OEM Director of the location, duration (state date/end date/work hours) and
work information of active work sites (pipelines, workovers, drilling, and completion).
For specific information
about the fire restrictions, individuals should contact their local fire
department. A violation of the fire
restrictions shall constitute a class 2 petty offense punishable by a fine of
up to $300 for each violation.
The fire restrictions were
enacted by the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners upon the
recommendation of Sheriff Duke Schirard and the Chiefs of the local fire
districts. The restrictions do provide
flexibility to the local fire chiefs to ease restrictions within their
respective jurisdictions, if they deem such actions to be safe, appropriate and
prudent in their professional opinions. There
are four fire districts within La Plata County serving specific areas of the
County. To request a special exception
permit to burn, please contact a fire department listed below based on the
location of the property:
- Durango Fire and Rescue Authority (for properties in the Animas
valley corridor from the north county line to New Mexico), visit http://www.durangofirerescue.org/prevention.html
to fill out the online permit, or call 382-6023.
- Upper Pine Fire Protection District (for properties east of
Bayfield north to Vallecito), please call 884-9508;
- Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Protection District (for properties in west
La Plata County surrounding Hesperus to the Colorado/New Mexico state line
on Highway 140), please call 238-0115; or
- Los Pinos Fire Protection District (for properties in the
southeast corner of La Plata County and surrounding Ignacio), please call
563-9501.
The La Plata County fire
response agencies will continue to monitor the situation and if the conditions
continue to deteriorate, a more restrictive fire ban may be developed. The fire restrictions will remain in effect
until such time as the threat of fire danger in La Plata County has reduced
significantly, as determined by the Sheriff, local fire chiefs and/or County
Director of Emergency Management.
(Note: A copy of the Board’s
resolution is attached.)
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