For Immediate Release | July 2, 2018

Stage II Fire Restrictions Implemented in Avon

Avon, CO – With Colorado facing extremely dangerous fire conditions, the Town of Avon, in collaboration with local fire authorities, has decided to enact “Stage II” fire restrictions effective immediately. Eagle County, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, White River National Forest have implemented the same restrictions. The Town of Avon would like to thank everyone for their compliance, and cooperation with our current fire restrictions.

Stage II Fire Restrictions Prohibit:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, charcoal grill, any type of charcoal fueled broiler, tiki torch, wood burning stove, sheepherders stove, or open fire of any type. These restrictions include developed camping and picnic grounds and private property. Fire devices using pressurized liquid or gas with shutoff valves are permitted when used in an area at least three feet or more from flammable material such as grasses, debris or pine needles. Fireplaces and wood burning stoves inside structures equipped with ember or spark arresters attached to chimneys are also exempted.

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer, building or tent;
• Using an explosive requiring fuse or blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, firearms, exploding targets and tracers or incendiary ammunition;
• Operating a chainsaw, cutoff saw, or any other mechanical equipment without an approved spark arrestor and without chemical pressurized fire extinguisher (8 oz. capability by weight or larger and kept with the operator) and without one “O” or larger round point shovel with an overall length of at least 36 inches that is readily available for use;
• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame (except with a current permit, contract or letter of authorization and the welding area must be barren or cleared of all flammable material for 10 feet on all sides of the equipment);
• Operating or using any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order meeting either:
  1. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1a; or
  2. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335(b) and J350(a).

• Persons with a permit or letter of authorization specifically authorizing the prohibited act or omission.
• Any federal, state, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.

A comprehensive listing of fire restrictions throughout the state and other fire related emergency information can be found online at www.coemergency.com. To receive real-time emergency text or email notifications, subscribe to EC Alert at www.ecalert.org.

We want to remind our community, as well as visitors to the area, that they are our first line of defense in preventing wildland fires. Thank you everyone for doing your part to keep the Town of Avon safe and beautiful. We wish you a happy Independence Day holiday.