Larimer County, Colorado – The Board of Larimer County Commissioners adopted fire restrictions on Open Fires and Fireworks beginning immediately and continuing through November 1, 2010. These restrictions are based on a recommendation from Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden in light of dry conditions and prohibit the use of:
- Open fires and fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Larimer County. Contained open fires are not restricted at this time. Because ‘contained open fires’ are okay, this is not a ban, but restrictions.
These restrictions mean that no open fires are allowed, no open camp or cooking fires, only “contained’ open fires such as those in camp stoves and grills using gas or pressurized liquid or those in permanently constructed, stationary, metal or masonry fireplaces such as those fireplaces located in campgrounds and masonry or metal fire pits
– Smoking in the open is not allowed under these restrictions.
– Contained open fires rules also call for operating combustion engines with spark arresting devices, properly installed and in working order.
– An exception to the Open Fires rules is that citizens who live in unincorporated areas of Larimer County can operate a charcoal grill on a non-combustible surface at their private residence.
– No fireworks are allowed under these restrictions.
Any person who knowingly violates the restrictions commits a class 2 petty offense and can be fined. The County’s complete ‘fire ordinance’ is available at: http://www.larimer.org/policies/.
The Board also authorized Sheriff Jim Alderden to approve exemptions. Open fires include the burning of irrigation ditches except for those located within and completely surrounded by irrigated farmlands where such burning is necessary for crop survival and specific written approval has been granted in advance by the Larimer County Sheriff.