Restrictions apply to all of Garfield County and the seven fire districts

GCSO PRESS RELEASE
July 16, 2025

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, BLM lands in Garfield County, and the seven fire districts in Garfield County are implementing Stage 2 Fire Restrictions effective at 12:01 a.m. Thursday July 17, 2025. This applies to all of Garfield County.

This decision was made with thoughtful consideration. We look at the data as well as the potential for significant wildfires and balance it with the impacts to our community. The current active wildfires in Colorado have already stretched our available resources and effected our ability to respond as necessary.

Fire restrictions are implemented based on specific criteria to including moisture content of vegetation, weather outlooks, human risk factors and firefighting resource availability.

What Stage 2 fire restrictions mean in Garfield County

• A) Use of fireworks – Not permitted
• B) Burn permits (general) – No burn permits will be issued. All previously issued burn permits are cancelled.
• C) Recreational fires – No recreational fires
• D) Cooking fires – Use caution and keep attended. Cooking devices must be clean (including gas cylinder) and in proper working order.

a. Gas grills – No permit required.

b. Charcoal and other solid fuel grills and cookers – No permit required in developed areas only.

c. In undeveloped areas, a permit from the local fire department may be required.

• E) Smoking – Open smoking allowed in developed areas.

a. In undeveloped areas, allowed only in an enclosed vehicle or building.

• F) Welding and spark-emitting cutting (hot work) – Developed area: Use extreme caution and take preventative measures as necessary.

a. Undeveloped area: Industrial use only. A permit from the local fire department may be required. Must be in a cleared area at least 10 feet in diameter with a designated lookout. Must have Class A fire extinguishing capabilities readily available.

• G) Operating of internal combustion engine-powered equipment such as chainsaws, hand-held tools, or generators without a spark-arresting device is prohibited. If described equipment does have a spark arresting device, you must have Class A fire extinguishing capabilities readily available, and round-point shovel (36″ length minimum) shall be readily available for use.
• H) Other internal combustion engine-powered equipment, such as tractors and mowers: Operate with extreme caution paying special attention in areas subject to extreme conditions that may be susceptible to ignition (dry weeds and grasses, etc.).
• I) Use of explosives, explosive targets and steel or tracer bullets – Not permitted
• J) Use of firearms – Steel jacket/core bullets (Armor Piercing) and tracer bullets are expressly prohibited. It is the responsibility of each independent range to ensure safe fire conditions at all times the range is in use. This includes: mitigating fuels that may potentially catch fire; monitoring downrange conditions/impacts; maintaining the ability to access and rapidly extinguish fires; notifying the local fire department immediately in the event of a fire of any size. Keeping a usable fire-extinguishing application method on hand is strongly recommended.

a. If shooting at an unattended range – including those on public and private property – the responsibility for ensuring safe fire conditions falls on the independent shooter.

By definition:

A “developed area” is an area, whether within city limits or rural, that is groomed, manicured and or watered, where grasses, brush and trees are regularly attended to by landowner. This includes residential and business areas, improved recreational areas, parks and other common areas.

“Undeveloped areas” are lands that are not groomed, manicured, or watered; where grasses, brush and trees have been allowed to grow in a natural environment. This includes green belts that are not landscaped or manicured, open space lands, non-manicured parklands, and other areas where the fire hazard presented by the vegetation is determined by the authority having jurisdiction or designee to be an undue wildland fire hazard.

While we have just passed the halfway point of 2025, the Town Board and Town staff have earnestly begun the process of setting priorities and drafting a budget for 2026.  The Board of Trustees held a special session to frame out some of those priorities and give staff direction as we prepare a draft administrative budget.  Some of the key priorities that we are looking at for this coming year are:

• Phase II Grand Avenue Improvements – this multi-year project saw the first phase get to the west end of Flying Eagle Park, and we hope the second phase will carry us to at least 11^th Street.  This will all be dependent on the receipt of additional grant funds, budgetary constraints, and future construction costs.  Look for community meetings in the coming months for those who will be impacted by the construction project.
• Community Park Phase I Rehabilitation – this fall, the Town will begin the process of rehabilitating Community Park.  After significant community outreach, the Town completed a plan to rehabilitate the park, including maintenance/refurbishment of the tennis courts, reconfiguring the basketball and sand volleyball courts, replacing the play structure, and planning for the addition of a splash pad water feature.  The first phase plan will include everything but the splash pad, as that feature far exceeds the budget established for the rehabilitation.
• 7^th Street Pedestrian Bridge/Plaza – by the end of 2025, the Town will be at 90% construction drawings for the pedestrian bridge and plaza.  The Town has plans to close the section of 7^th Street from Main Street to Front Street to create a plaza where the northern terminus of the pedestrian bridge will land.  In 2026, following the replacement of the water main on 7^th Street, the Town will close that section of 7^th Street and start the pedestrian plaza project.  The first phase will result in the creation of the open space for the plaza, but will not have many of the final amenities as depicted in the graphic. [see plan graphic 01 jpg]

Over the course of the next several months, the budget will be developed and we are always interested in ideas, concerns, suggestions, etc.  The budget preparation schedule is as follows:

• July – Board of Trustees Strategic Planning Work Session (completed July 21)
• August 25 – Capital Improvement Plan Work Session
• August/September – administrative preparation of the operating Budget
• September 22 – administrative budget presented to Board of Trustees
• October 14 – Budget Work Session #1
• October 28 – Budget Work Session #2
• November 10 – Budget Work Session #3
• November 24 – Budget Work Session #4 (if necessary)
• December 8 – Board of Trustees Adoption of 2026 Budget

This Fall, the Town Board of Trustees will be asking voters to approve the creation of a tobacco tax on all tobacco products sold within the Town.  The tax is anticipated to mirror the Town of New Castle tobacco tax and will generate approximately $250,000 in annual revenue.  The Town Board is proposing that the revenues received from the tax be dedicated solely for park rehabilitation, park expansions, recreation programming, and special events within the Town.  The Town encourages a “yes” vote in November to provide this needed funding source for parks and recreation.