MANITOU SPRINGS — The Manitou Springs Fire Chief has ordered Stage 2 Fire Restrictions effective immediately, due to wildfires in many regions across the state.
The restriction means there is a ban on any outside fire, an outdoor smoking ban, a fireworks ban, and a dangerous equipment ban, meaning the use of equipment that creates sparks and/or flames is not allowed without a fire extinguisher nearby.
The open burning ban includes campfires and warming fires, as well as solid fuel burning fireplaces, like fire pits, fire tables, and chimineas, as well as outdoor cooking appliances.
The ban does not include liquid propane fueled or gas-fueled grills or camp stoves, as long as there is a 10-foot separation from combustible materials. It also excludes compliant fireplaces and wood-burning stoves in private homes.
The Outdoor Smoking Ban excludes smoking in enclosed buildings, and along Manitou Avenue. Discarding of a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe tobacco product is prohibited.
In a written statement outlining the restrictions, Chief John Forsett said recent rainfall has not improved the moisture of fire fuels.
That, combined with what is expected to be a short-lived monsoonal flow led to the decision to implement restrictions.
The restrictions will be reevaluated and adjusted as as fire danger and predicted weather conditions change.
