COLORADO SPRINGS — Burn Ban, Stage 1 fire ban, and Stage 2 fire ban, this can all sound so confusing. This is why we want to break down this important information. Let’s start with the city’s burn ban. Colorado Springs is still under a burn ban and it’s likely to stay that way for a while.
This means you cannot use a wood or charcoal grill, but you can use propane or a gas grill or fireplace. You cannot smoke in parks or open spaces. Bonfires, Fireworks and burning just about anything is not allowed. But if you have hot work to do, you can ask for a permit.
The Colorado Springs Fire Department is asking residents to do their part in protecting our city and our forests.
“People need to take it seriously because there are repercussions when you do start a fire here. We all remember Waldo Canyon back in 2012. We just had the Marshall Fire that happened recently this last year so those are things that we don’t want to have to happen here again,” said Melissa Hoffman, wildfire mitigation program coordinator at the Colorado Springs Fire Department. “When we had those different fires on all different sides of Colorado Springs, that was a very eventful day for everyone and that just goes back to why these burn bans are so important right now and people need to be taking them seriously. We have very dry conditions currently.”
But what if you plan on traveling and camping in different forests in the state this summer? It’s important to know the difference between a Stage 1 and a Stage 2 fire ban. Stage 1 means no shooting anything. You cannot smoke around timber or grass. Traditional campfires are off-limits, but you can have a gas fire, a propane fire, or use a steel fire ring.
Stage 2 is a little stricter. You can only have a gas stove or fire. The steel rings are not accepted. And you can only smoke in your vehicle.
Always call the fire experts in the area you plan to camp in before you travel. The U.S. Forest Service also has an interactive map that will tell you what areas have fire bans.
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