14-May-2022
Mr. Mayor and Members of City Council,
Because of current and expected dry and windy conditions, increased fire activity, and resource concerns, effective at 12:00pm (noon), Monday, May 16th, 2022, I am ordering Stage 2 Burn Ban Orders for the City of Manitou Springs. This ban is in alignment with and made through extensive cooperation and input from all members of the Pikes Peak Regional Wildfire Group. This group is made up of members from El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, North-East Teller Fire Protection District (Teller County), Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District, the City of Manitou Springs Fire Department, Black Forest Fire Protection District, City of Fountain Fire Department, City of Colorado Springs Fire Department, Colorado State Division of Fire Prevention and Control, the United Stated Forest Service, Colorado Springs Utilities, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Members of this group have scheduled to hold a joint press conference starting at 11:00am Monday, May 16, 2022, at the Colorado Springs Fire Department Complex located at 375 Printers Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO.
Current vegetation conditions due to drought, consistent wind events and regional resources responding to significant regional and statewide fire incidents require our region to act in coordinated fashion to protect our environment, citizens, businesses and first responders.
Stage 2 Burn Ban Orders
All open fires and open burning are prohibited, including without limitation all cooking fires, recreational fires, campfires and warming fires, all solid fuel burning fireplaces (such as fire pits, fire tables, and chimineas) and cooking appliances (such as charcoal BBQ grills, pellet smokers and BBQ grills).
Outdoor smoking of tobacco products or similar material in cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is prohibited except in designated areas where a noncombustible container with a secured lid designed for the purpose of disposal of smoking materials is provided.
Discarding lighted cigarettes, cigars or pipe tobacco products outdoors is also prohibited.
The sale and use of fireworks and the use of explosives (not limited to fireworks), fuses or blasting caps and rockets is prohibited.
The outdoor use or operation of any equipment that may emit sparks (such as a grinder or chain saw) or that involves an open flame (such as welding equipment) without a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher equal to or exceeding a rating of 2A 10BC readily available to the operator is prohibited.
These restrictions do not apply to gas-fueled grills used out-of-doors, or to fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, provided they are at least 10 feet from combustible material (not including a private residential structure). Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves within private residences that are compliant with the city’s building and fire codes, are not subject to these restrictions.
Please continue to share with our community that the Fire Department is eager to schedule and perform wildfire mitigation property assessments for them. Our assessment is of no charge and can be scheduled by calling the Fire Department’s business phone number at (719) 685-1444.
As always, restrictions will be adjusted accordingly as fire danger, resources, and predicted weather conditions change.
Respectfully Submitted,
John K. Forsett, Fire Chief, City of Manitou Springs