Update: As of 04/04/2017, the burn ban has been lifted.
15-March-2017
Madam Mayor and Members of City Council,
Effective immediately, I am ordering the following Fire Restrictions for the City of Manitou Springs:
1. Open Burning Ban, defined as the prohibited use of any outside fire, including camp fires and warming fires.
This current ban excludes fires in permanently constructed fire rings within the city’s RV and Camping Parks; and charcoal grills, and wood burning fire places, (chiminia) or fire pits with proper fitting screen covers and with a minimum of 15’ separation from structures or other combustible material at private residences. None of these exclusions permit a total fuel area greater than 3 feet in diameter, and all must have a flame height of less than 2 feet.
2. Outdoor Smoking Ban, defined as the prohibited use of any tobacco product or similar material in cigarettes, cigars, or pipes outdoors. This excludes smoking in enclosed buildings or structures, and along Manitou Avenue. Discarding of a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe tobacco products is strictly prohibited.
These restrictions do not apply to gas-fueled grills used out-of-doors, or to fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves. Additionally, compliant fireplaces and wood-burning stoves within private residences are not included in the ban.
Current Wildland Fire predictive services for our area indicate continuing warm, dry and breezy conditions. I have attached the Predictive Services Fire Weather/Danger Update from March 13th for your reference, and you can monitor these outlooks at;
http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/outlooks.htm .
While we can only control our city limits, it is my hope that these restrictions will enhance awareness of our citizens and visitors, and the message will carry far outside of our boundaries. It is also my hope that El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will also soon imposed fire restrictions for all areas of unincorporated El Paso County in some similar manner. Should the county impose a fire ban while this ban is in place, this ban may be adjusted to allow for consistency in management and compliance.
If weather patterns change the local outlook significantly one way or the other, Fire Restrictions will be adjusted accordingly.
Respectfully Submitted,
John K. Forsett, Fire Chief, City of Manitou Springs