Forest Supervisor closes three Front Range districts due to wildfire threat

Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions, @usfsarp is temporarily closing all National Forest land in Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer counties, effective midnight tonight. Decision to be re-evaluated daily. ow.ly/iULS50BXX4X

Press Release
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2020) – Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions, the USDA Forest Service’s Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests is announcing a temporary closure of all National Forest land in Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer counties, effective at midnight Oct. 21. This decision will be re-evaluated daily as conditions change.

The new starts and explosive growth of fires throughout the northern Colorado Front Range over the past week, including the Cameron Peak, CalWood and Lefthand Canyon fires, has led to this decision. The impacted counties are currently experiencing severe drought; extremely low fuel moisture conditions; a high occurrence of human-caused wildfires; limited capacity for response due to multiple wildfires; and persistent fire-danger weather conditions with no immediate relief in the forecast.

“The number of large fires and extreme fire behavior we are seeing on our Forests this year is historic," said Forest Supervisor Monte Williams. "These temporary closures are necessary to protect the public and our firefighters, and we will keep them in place until conditions improve and we are confident that the risk of new fire starts has decreased.I ask all of our local residents and visitors to take these closures and evacuations seriously to allow our firefighters to focus on the mission of safely suppressing the existing fires."

As of Tuesday morning, nearly 442,000 acres of land are currently affected by wildfire across north central Colorado and southern Wyoming, according to the Rocky Mountain Coordination Center. About 3,000 firefighters and fire support personnel are assigned to wildfire operations in the region.

These temporary closures are in place to support the suppression of the three fires currently burning in these counties and to prevent the potential for new fire starts, which impacts the resources available for existing fires. Orders restrict access to all but emergency personnel and persons with a permit authorizing their presence in the closure areas. Drivers authorized to be in the forest are urged to use caution, as many forest roads may be busy with firefighters, fire vehicles, and heavy equipment engaged in suppression and containment efforts.

Areas not included in this closure order have existing fire restrictions in place, including campfire bans, due to high and extreme fire danger levels. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, please use extreme caution with fire. One small spark can cause a large wildfire and add additional strain to firefighters and available resources.

The Forest Service thanks our partners and the public for their cooperation and understanding of this monumental fire threat. Citizens with specific questions within their area may call their local ranger district offices for more information. Hunters impacted by these closures should visit the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website and will be receiving direct communication from CPW via email.

See the closure order and a map.

Order #ARP-2020-13
FOREST ORDER USDA FOREST SERVICE
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Boulder, Canyon Lakes, and Clear Creek Ranger Districts
STAGE 3 CLOSURE ORDER

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50 (a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on National Forest System lands within the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests that are located in Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Larimer, and Jefferson Counties within the Boulder, Clear Creek, and Canyon Lakes Ranger Districts in the State of Colorado (“Restricted Areas”) and on all National Forest System roads and trails located within the Restricted Area (“the Restricted Roads and Trails”). The Restricted Area is depicted on the attached map hereby incorporated into this order as Exhibit A.

The purposes of this Order are to: (1) provide for public safety; and (2) prevent interference with firefighting operations.

PROHIBITIONS:
This Order prohibits the following:
1) Going into or being upon the Restricted Areas depicted on the Map in Exhibit A. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(e).
2) Being on the National Forest System Roads within the Restricted Areas. 36 C.F.R. § 261.54(e).
3) Being on the National Forest System Trails within the Restricted Areas. 36 C.F.R. § 261.55(a).

EXEMPTIONS:
Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this order:
1) Any federal, state or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force, in the performance of an official duty;
2) Persons with a Forest Service permit specifically exempting them from the effect of this Order.

This Order supersedes other existing fire restrictions and closure orders in place for these districts, including Orders ARP-2020-10 and ARP-2020-11. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions remain in place for the Pawnee National Grassland. When this order is rescinded the previous Orders will remain in effect until rescinded or expiration.

This Order becomes effective at 12:00am on October 21, 2020 and remains in effect until November 15, 2020 or until rescinded, whichever event occurs first.

Executed in Fort Collins, Colorado October 20, 2020.

MONTE WILLIAMS
Forest Supervisor Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland

A violation of the prohibitions in this Order is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. (16 U.S.C. § 551 and 18 U.S.C §§ 3559 and 3571).

Forest Supervisor says Forest-wide closure will continue through weekend

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (Oct. 29, 2020) – Forest Supervisor Monte Williams confirmed that the temporary closure of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests will continue through the weekend. This decision was closely coordinated with and supported by Grand, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Boulder, Larimer and Jefferson counties and their sheriffs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has also supported the Forest in this decision.

“I understand the tremendous impact this closure has on people wanting to hunt and recreate on the National Forest,” Williams said. “We are taking a careful, measured and deliberative approach, factoring in the forecasts, fuel conditions, and availability of firefighting personnel.”

It is estimated that the 6-18 inches of snow received across north central Colorado Sunday contained the equivalent of about one-half to 1-inch of rain. While that will help the finer fuels like grasses and sage recover, it won’t help the larger fuels like trees and downed logs, which are the driest fire managers have seen in 20 years.

Cameron Peak, CalWood and East Troublesome fires are all still burning under the snow, with smoke and flames visible within their perimeters. “Both the Cameron Peak and Williams Fork fires have already been snowed on multiple times, and they both made big runs after that.” Williams said. “We are seeing conditions worse than 2012 when the Fern Lake Fire made a run through Rocky Mountain National Park toward Estes Park from under the snow in December. Fire season is not over in northern Colorado.”

The forecast for the next 8-14 days calls for a return of warmer-than-normal temperatures, with no significant moisture in the extended outlook. Southerly slopes are losing snow first. As snow melts, potential will return for new fire starts and fire growth.

“Foremost on our minds are the local firefighters, law enforcement officers, search and rescue personnel and emergency first responders who have spent the past 10 weeks protecting their communities,” Williams said. “We are also thinking of the tens of thousands of residents who live in the wildland urban interface around the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, whose homes are surrounded by forests that remain tinder dry. And then there is the population of our greater metropolitan areas who have been breathing smoke all summer. We need to give these folks a break. We just can’t risk one more fire.”

The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest has been in Stage 1 fires restrictions, banning dispersed campfires, since April. A Stage 2 fire ban went in effect across portions of the Forest in July and the remainder of the Forest in August. Stage 3 fire restrictions went into effect Oct. 20, banning all use of the National Forest due to extreme fire danger.

See the Stage 3 closure order.