Wednesday, AUGUST 13, 2025 |
Photo – Fire restriction notice – Courtesy Carbon County Fire Protection District
Carbon County is now under Stage One fire restrictions in response to ongoing dry weather.
At yesterday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Fire Warden John Rutherford introduced a resolution to enact Stage One fire restrictions. Fire Warden Rutherford said due to a lack of rain, even the smallest spark is likely to ignite a wildfire.
Under Stage One fire restrictions, all open flames are prohibited on lands within Carbon County, including private property.
Fire Warden Rutherford reported that the Bureau of Land Management is preparing to implement similar fire restrictions on federal lands. Last year, Albany and Laramie Counties were under fire restrictions. This season, however, Rutherford said Carbon County faces a higher risk of wildfire activity.
Fire Warden Rutherford explained that the Carbon County Fire Protection District is helping battle the Lee Fire in Meeker, Colorado. Sparked by a lightning strike, the Lee Fire, which has burned over 116,000 acres, is considered the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado history. With county, state, and federal assets committed to large-scale fires, Rutherford said response to local incidents may be delayed.
Unlike the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, Carbon County itself does not own large tracts of land. Fire Warden Rutherford said the county’s fire restrictions will apply to private property owners. However, law enforcement won’t actively patrol for open flames. Instead, Rutherford said if a fire on private land spreads out of control, the government will likely seek restitution for damages and suppression costs.
Fire Warden Rutherford advised Carbon County residents to wait until after the first snowfall to burn their slash piles.
The Board of Carbon County Commissioners unanimously voted to place the county under Stage One fire restrictions. More information can be found on the Carbon County Fire Protection District website, carbonwyfpd.com.
