Temporary Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Implemented in JeffCo

Temporary Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Implemented in JeffCo

Jefferson County, CO. – Effective at 3:00 p.m. on March 31, 2020, Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Shrader implemented temporary Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for all lands in Unincorporated Jefferson County.
Pursuant to the Annual Operating Plan regarding the implementation of Fire Restrictions and Fire Bans; and due to the continuing high fire danger condition within Jefferson County, The following activities are prohibited pursuant to Stage 1 fire restrictions:

• 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 check responses.[/li]

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in area of at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all combustible material. (2015 IFC 310.8)
• Open Burning including "bon fires" that require a permit from the fire authority having jurisdiction, will not be allowed during these restrictions. (2015 IFC 105.6.32)
• The USE of fireworks, as defined below, are prohibited within Jefferson County.
• Shooting tracer rounds or explosive type targets.

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 these temporary fire restrictions:
• Use of liquid or gas fueled appliances
• Approved wood pellet grills
• Charcoal barbeque grills not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2015 IFC 308.1.6)
• Portable outdoor fireplaces not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2015 IFC 307.4.3)
• Welding and cutting torch appliances, as described above in the definition section, may only be operated in an area no closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2015 IFC 308.1.6)
• Recreational fires not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2015 IFC 307.4.2)
• Permitted fires by persons with a permit specifically authorizing the 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.
• Fire Department / District training fires
• Burning of explosive wastes by manufacturer of explosives in areas zoned for industrial use, when the burning is supervised by the fire protection district
• 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:
• Containers of adequate water or dry soil nearby.
• Shovels, fire extinguishers, or other extinguishing agents nearby.
• Coordination with the local fire department or district to be on scene or standby during an activity.

DEFINITIONS

FIREWORKS: As defined in section 24-33.5-2001(5) C.R.S, and shall specifically include "permissible fireworks" as defined in section 24-33.5-2001(11) 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 manufacturer's 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 barbeque 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 barbeque 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 2, 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.

This temporary Fire Ban becomes effective at 3:00 P.M. on March 31, 2020 and shall remain in effect until superseded or repealed.

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Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
1 hr ago

Fire Restrictions Remain; Clear Creek Closures Extended

We’ve received a lot of questions from you, JeffCo, about the use of Clear Creek and fire restrictions so we wanted to give you this update.

Regarding Clear Creek, Sheriff Shrader and Golden Police Department Chief Kilpatrick have extended the watercraft restrictions to June 25 unless otherwise extended, repealed or superseded.

“Based on the presence of COVID-19 in Colorado, the resulting disaster declarations in Jefferson County and the State of Colorado, and the activity and social distancing restrictions imposed by the Governor’s Safer-At-Home Order and implementing orders issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Jefferson County Public Health, these Temporary Waterway Restrictions, dated and executed below, supersede all previous waterway restrictions and closures.

“These temporary waterway restrictions apply to Clear Creek in unincorporated Jefferson County as well as those portions within the City of Golden.

“Pursuant to C.R.S. § 33-13-111 and 2 CCR 405-2 #217, the Sheriff of Jefferson County is prohibiting ALL USES in Clear Creek, including all single-chambered air inflated devices, such as belly boats, inner tubes, and single chambered rafts, “body surfers,” and swimming, as well as all vessels, kayaks, whitewater canoes, and multi-chambered river boards.”

The Clear Creek watercraft closures have been extended in part due to the large gatherings that occur along the creek when all of the activities occur. Anyone who has ever enjoyed the fun in or along the creek knows just how crowded it can get on a beautiful Colorado day and right now we’re trying to encourage physical distancing to stop the spread of the pandemic.

Wondering what’s allowed right now regarding Stage 1 Fire Restrictions?

The short version is this: 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 is PROHIBITED.

You can read all the details here: www.jeffco.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1156

Don’t see an answer to your question regarding grills or other fire-related items? Check out our fire restrictions page, part of which you see here, that has detailed information about what’s allowed and not allowed: www.jeffco.us/517/Fire-Restriction-Details

If you want to stay up to date on when these restrictions change, you can also sign up for alerts on our website and watch our social media.

Our goal is to help keep you safe, JeffCo, and the more you know, the more you can protect yourself and others. We’ll be here if you need us.