Fire restrictions in effect

MONTE VISTA — Due to the increasing fire danger, Stage II fire restrictions have been issued for all the federal lands and many of the counties in the Upper Rio Grande Watershed.

The restrictions began Tuesday, June 26, for lands managed by the Rio Grande National Forest, BLM’s San Luis Valley Field Office, San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Stage II fire restrictions prohibit:

• Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, charcoal grill, coal, wood burning stove or sheepherders stove, including in developed camping and picnic grounds. Devices using pressurized liquid or gas are exempted;

•  Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building;

• Using an explosive requiring fuse or blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets and tracers or incendiary ammunition;

• Operating a chainsaw without an approved spark arrestor, and without a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher at least eight ounces capacity by weight and a round-point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches that is readily available for use;

• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame except with a current permit, contract or letter of authorization.

The use of fireworks, flares or other incendiary devices is always prohibited on federal lands and is currently prohibited on all state and private lands in Colorado. 

 For more information concerning Stage II fire restrictions on land managed by:

 • The BLM San Luis Valley Field Office and Rio Grande National Forest, call 852-5941.

• The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, call 378-6399.

• The San Luis Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, call 589-4021.