Ignoring Pueblo County fire restrictions could lead to felony charges — or worse
Summer heat, drought conditions and gusting winds in Pueblo can combine to create the perfect environment for fires to start and spread.
Even the slightest spark from a carelessly discarded cigarette butt, unattended firepit, or small illegal firework can create a catastrophic situation, with far-reaching consequences.
“It is important for everyone to understand that one bad choice for yourself isn’t just about yourself,” said Pueblo Fire Chief Barbara Huber. “It can have an impact on an entire community.”
Because of the dangers, Pueblo County often implements fire restrictions that dictate what types of burning are and are not allowed on days when restrictions are in place.
For those who choose to ignore the restrictions, there can be serious repercussions.
“Especially during a red flag warning or critical fire weather — right now (Pueblo County is) in Stage 1 fire restrictions — when you violate those orders, it can be considered arson,” Huber said.
Those who violate fire restrictions can face escalating penalties, said Lisa Shorter, a spokeswoman for the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, which determines what level of fire restrictions the county is placed under.
“Oftentimes, they’ll go out and just give a warning and help them put the fire out. If you have a warning and then continue to burn, they’ll issue a ticket,” Shorter said. “The citations can get higher. They’re just fines but they continue to grow with each additional offense.”
The most severe penalties are incurred when a fire grows out of control.
“The risk is, say, you feel like the wind is calm enough and you can burn, but maybe you don’t drown it. Or all of a sudden the wind picks up and it gets away from you and you’ve caught your neighbor’s fence on fire or their house on fire. That’s actually arson,” she said.
“And that has significant consequences. And depending on the amount of property damage, it could even be a felony.”
More: Hazy skies, high winds and fire risk on tap for most of the week in Pueblo
One such situation unfolded in Colorado Springs on Thursday, when a 25-acre grass fire in the northeastern part of the city was found to have been caused by a man throwing ashes from his smoldering fire pit over a fence. The man was charged by the Colorado Springs Police Department with a class 6 felony.
According to the National Weather Service, Pueblo saw extreme winds and dry weather throughout April, which brought critical and extreme fire weather to much of the region.
With the current drought and weather conditions, disregarding fire restrictions can result in much more serious consequences than citations, fines, or jail time, Huber said.
“The potential damage it can cause to the community is very significant. We’ve seen so many evacuations already this year, we’ve seen communities wiped out,” she said.
“And a lot of people don’t think a cigarette butt being tossed from a car can start a fire like that, but the wind and the weather changes ... push fire much more quickly and it raises that fire danger. So … throwing your cigarette butt out of a window, you are putting an entire community at risk.”
Local fire departments are aware of the danger and, on days with critical fire weather, the Pueblo Fire Department and its county partners put “at least one extra brush truck” on the streets to improve response times, Huber said.
“We are aware of the community’s heightened anxiety over this issue and we’re also trying to improve our response to these issues,” Huber said. “Because the sooner we jump on it, the better we can get a handle on it.”
How to prepare for a fire evacuation
There are several measures Puebloans can take to prepare mentally and physically for an evacuation when there's a fire nearby, Huber said.
“The important things are: having a meeting plan for your family in case you get separated; having supplies you’re going to need to leave the house to include medications, chargers, glasses, hearing aids, all those things you’re going to need; having a plan for your pets, if you have large animals, it’s having a way to go with them quickly. And then of course opting into emergency alert notifications, which you can do through the city’s website.”
More: Pueblo's emergency notification system changes providers, adds cellphones
Having a go-bag with everything needed for up to 72 hours of displacement is important, Huber said, as is having a pre-planned evacuation route with at least two route options for exiting a neighborhood.
“It could be the route you usually pick is bogged down with traffic or is blocked off, so you need to have alternate routes no matter what your plan is,” Huber said. “The same thing applies to your house — we want you to have two ways out of your house and two ways out of every room.”
Fire danger in Pueblo: Brush fire burns 2 acres and shuts down state highway near Rye
What to put in a wildfire evacuation kit
Here’s a list of what the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends you put in an emergency kit in case you need to evacuate:
Water (one gallon per person per day for several days)
Food (at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food)
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio
Flashlight
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to filter contaminated air)
Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual can opener
Local maps
Cell phone, charges and a battery backup
Masks, soap, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes
Prescription medications
Nonprescription medications
Prescription eyeglasses and contact lens solution
Pet food and extra water
Cash or traveler’s checks
Important family documents (copies of insurance policies, identification and bank records)
Sleeping bags or warm blankets
A change of clothing and sturdy shoes
Other personal hygiene items
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Paper and pencil
Books, games or other activities for children
Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Ignoring Pueblo fire restrictions could come with dire consequences
