FIRE BAN INFORMATION

If you ever have questions on what restrictions apply, or you need to notify the Sheriff’s Office of a controlled burn, call the Sheriff’s Office at (719) 438-5411. The Sheriff’s Office must be notified of controlled burns in Kiowa County.
Sheriff Williams requires that all controlled burns be called into dispatch (Bent County Dispatch 719-456-1363.) When the controlled burn is extinguished, call the Sheriff’s office and advise that is completed.
If Kiowa County is under a Red Flag warning or a burn ban the dispatcher or Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office employee will advise you of this and tell you can not burn at that time.
You will be held responsible for any damages caused by your burn if it gets out of control.
If the burn gets out of control call 911 immediately

Burn Permits.

Kiowa County Commissioners DO require a burn permit.
Please contact Tina Adamson 719-438-5810 before burning.

FIRE BAN STAGES

STAGE I

The following acts are prohibited until further notice:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, coal or wood burning stove, any type of charcoal fueled broiler or open fire of any type in undeveloped areas.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, in a developed recreation site or while in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable vegetation.
• Using explosive material: (ie: fireworks, blasting caps or any incendiary device which may result in the ignition of flammable material.)
• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame.
• Operating or using any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained an in effective working order meeting either: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1; or The Appropriate Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335 (b) and J350 (a).
• Possible Exemptions
• Persons with a written permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.
• Fires in Constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates within developed recreation sites.
• Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
• Mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas which allow the operator to control or extinguish the flame with a valve are permittedprovided that such devices are approved by Underwriters Laboratory Inc.
• Owners or lessees of land in the restricted area.
• Residents in the restricted area.

STAGE II

The following acts are prohibited until further notice:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, coal or wood burning stove, any type of charcoal fueled broiler or open fire of any type.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
• Using explosive material: (ie: fireworks, blasting caps or any incendiary device which may result in the ignition of flammable material.)
• Welding, or operating an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame.
• Operating or using any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order meeting either: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1a; or The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335 (b) and J350 (a).
• Other possible restricted acts under Stage II
• Operating a motorized vehicle off designated roads and trails.
• Operating a chainsaw outside the hours of 5:00 am and 11:00 am.
• Overnight camping limited to listed campgrounds and recreation sites.
• Possible Exemptions
• Persons with a written permit specifically authorizing the otherwise 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.
• Mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas which allow the operator to control and extinguish the flame with a valve are permitted provided that such devices are approved by Underwriters Laboratory Inc.
• Owners or lessees of land in the restricted area.

STAGE III

Stage III fire restrictions involve closure of public lands. Evaluation guidelines are reviewed to determine threshold levels that substantiate the need for closures.

Examples include:

• Potential loss of life due to explosive fire conditions.
• Potential for extreme or blowup fire behavior.
• Stage II or Stage III restrictions are not effective in reducing the number of human-caused fires.
• Resources across the geographic area are at a critical shortage level.
• Proximity to substantial population centers.
• The extent of wild land urban interface.