UPDATE May 16 — It was only a matter of time. Fire danger in Summit County is rated “very high” starting immediately. Starting this Friday, June 19, Summit adopts Stage 1 fire restrictions. Open fires in the backcountry will be outlawed.
Say the experts, “Grass that was green and lush at the beginning of last week was crunchy by the weekend, which for Summit County is really fast. The lack of soil moisture ultimately means that we don’t have any resiliency or buffering to keep us out of critical fire danger levels when the wind blows and the relative humidity goes down.”
Under Stage 1 restrictions campfires inside of fire rings at established campgrounds will still be allowed.
Lake County, including Leadville and Twin Lakes, has already re-adopted Stage 1 restrictions.
It has been 17 days since the last measurable rainfall in Summit County, similar to the warm, dry stretch we suffered in late March that decimated snowpack and set up one of the most tenuous wildfire seasons in recent years.
ORIGINAL May 12 — Summit County is one of two remaining counties off I-70 near the foothills with no fire restrictions this weekend, June 12-14.
The other is Lake County, home to Leadville and Twin Lakes. Restrictions there were lifted two weeks ago for Memorial Day weekend after wet, cool days in May brought fire danger down to moderate.
Today, after rising temperatures and billowing winds, fire danger in Summit is rated “high.” Fire danger is rated “very high” for most of the White River National Forest, including Dillon Ranger District in Summit.
Grand and Eagle counties this week adopted Stage 1 restrictions, meaning no fires in the backcountry. Campfires in fire rings at developed campgrounds are still allowed in the Vail area and up north into Kremmling.
Clear Creek County, home to Idaho Springs and Georgetown, adopted Stage 1 restrictions in late March.
Park County, including Alma, Fairplay and the forests around Bailey, are under Stage 2 restrictions. There are no fires of any kind allowed in most of Park.
Violating even a Stage 1 restriction can earn you a ticket up to $1,000.
Small fires, big wind
Several wildfires sparked up this week, most of them relatively small, as warm summer winds ravage the high country.
Winds hit 45 miles per hour at the Krystalized Weather Station in downtown Dillon. At Loveland Pass and Keystone, they were whipping over 50 miles per hour.
The Spring Creek Fire is burning on about 21 acres with no containment near Reudi Reservoir on the Eagle-Pitkin county line, according to local officials. Fire experts believe it was started by people. Crews have been attacking it from the ground and air.
Out on the southeastern plains the Bear Fire has scorched 128 acres near the Comanche National Grasslands south of La Junta, according to Western Fire Chiefs.