The city of Durango has implemented stage 2 fire restrictions within city limits, with La Plata County, tribal governments and the U.S. Forest Service planning to follow suit later in the week.
In a news release Tuesday from the city of Durango, a civil emergency was declared because of the remarkably dangerous wildfire conditions within city limits. In a similar release, La Plata County announced that it would also put stage 2 restrictions in effect at midnight Friday.
Durango Fire Protection District Chief Randy Black said fire officials are worried. The potential for people to start a wildfire that grows out of control, threatening homes, businesses and infrastructure is extremely high right now. Because of that, he said, local governments are asking that everyone takes extra steps to avoid starting fires.
“We’re super nervous,” he said. “We’re in a whole week of red flag warnings. Resources are getting limited. The fire risk is extremely high right now, and we’re trying to ensure that any human-caused starts are limited or eliminated as much as possible to try to protect the community.”
In short, officials are asking residents not to partake in any activity that could create sparks or involves an open flame without a shut-off switch when outside, according to the La Plata County release.
The bans include: building fires, using charcoal grills, welding, pipe fitting, metal grinding, smoking marijuana and cigarettes, or using explosives like fireworks outdoors. Using gas-powered machinery such as lawn mowers, chain saws, all-terrain vehicles not equipped with a spark arrester or without a fire extinguisher nearby is prohibited. Agricultural burning outside of provisions in C.R.S. §30-15-401 (n. 5)(III) and C.R.S. §35-28-104 (11), as well as flaring from oil and gas wells, are also banned under stage 2 restrictions.
“We’re really trying to get out in front of and prohibit any human-caused starts,” Black said. “Human-caused starts are still the largest cause of all the wildfires.”
DFPD Wildfire Battalion Chief Scott Nielsen said the decision to implement stage 2 restrictions was data-driven.
Federal agencies collect data on the energy release component of both live and dead vegetation, or the potential heat energy a wildfire could produce, and compares them to historical fire conditions. Nielsen said the area around Durango ranges from percentiles in the upper 80s to the 97th percentile, meaning they are that much higher than historical fire danger conditions.
“The 97 percentile means that only three days in a year will exceed that threshold, which is pretty significant,” he said.
For context, the area was the 95th percentile for the 54,130-acre 416 Fire and the 224-acre South Six Shooter Fire, he said.
Or, as Black put it, “It’s crazy dry outside.”
Both Black and Nielsen said firefighting resources are spread thin throughout the Western U.S. right now as blazes continue to flare up. That means if a fire were to start around Durango, fighting it would take longer and be more difficult because local agencies could not rely on additional aid, they said.
“There is starting to be a lot of competition for resources,” Black said. “We lost two large air tankers yesterday morning. They went to a fire in Southern California. So even resources that we had during the Elkhorn Fire are no longer in the community or even available.”
Both Nielsen and Black said that the best way not to worry about not having enough resources to fight a fire is to avoid starting one in the first place. That, they said, relies on people being extra diligent and careful with their decision-making.
“Our focus is trying to eliminate any human-caused starts, which makes life better for everyone,” Black said.
For the latest on fire conditions, visit readylaplata.org, download apps like Watch Duty or go to durangoco.gov.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
