Dry Colorado vrs Campfires

[CSL]

Heading out hwy 285 this weekend to the mountains, and the sign says fire danger is high and open fires are banned. The dry winter tells me this ban may be around for a while this year.

I am camping in two weekends, but not sure what do to about huddling around a warm...uh...glow stick?

Does anyone know, by Colorado law, what the specifics of an "open fire" ban is. Can you bring a steel, barbeque grill with lid and use charcoal? That will cook our food, and will be enough for the kids to roast their marshmellows. It would "work" I guess for warming up by the "fire". I am willing to make this comprimise to the usual campfire during the ban, but not even sure if that's okay.

Anyone have anything to add in regard to this bummer situation?

 

[leftyguns21]

Does anyone know, by Colorado law, what the specifics of an "open fire" ban is. Can you bring a steel, barbeque grill with lid and use charcoal? That will cook our food, and will be enough for the kids to roast their marshmellows. It would "work" I guess for warming up by the "fire". I am willing to make this comprimise to the usual campfire during the ban, but not even sure if that's okay.

dont quote me but i think youd be ok w. that...i think the ban is more for open fires or ones that are like closer to ground? when i was in WA and they had the bans i would still use my grill and never got talked to

 

[CSL]

Thanks for the response, I was starting to lose all hope in the "off topic" section.

I actually just called the US forest service today, and after being given multiple phone numbers, I finally found the ranger station in charge of the area I was thinking about camping. They told me the signs were in error (weird?) and assured me that currently there is no ban anywhere but in Boulder County. (rich homes, I assume is the reason)

Of course they then told me that the Slaughter House Gulch seasonal gates are supposed to be locked off right now.

Uh-oh...I hope I didn't just blow it for everyone, because those gates were open last weekend when we were scoping out a good spot. :bash:

 

[Pritchnakoff]

CSL, I'm sure it's like CA where you wouldn't be able to have a campfire on the ground with the only baracade being a bunch of rocks that you found lying around the ground - as long as you are in a designated fire ring or other enclosed/controlled environment i.e. your barbecue you should be fine.

Also, I know in CA you can get a Fire Permit that is good for a calendar year - they must have something like this for CO:

http://www.totalescape.com/active/camp/pass/fire.html
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/documents/campfirepermit.pdf

Have fun, I wish I was going...

 

[CSL]

Thanks for the links. That's interesting. I don't think you have to get permit for campfires in CO, but I'm not sure about during high fire-danger times. Of course I forgot to get an answer about what I could do if there "was" a fire-ban. I got distracted by them saying the sign was a mistake. I would think they have some sort of compromise in their policy.

Theres "talk" of there being a big snow next week so it might not matter right away.

 

[sn0wrunner]

thats weird they said the gates should be locked for the season. They have never been locked that i can remember...

 

[CSL]

I hope your right, that trail was great, and I want to run it again soon! I do remember seeing a gate, but it was open of course.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

it is the intent that matters

I got cited once while cooking a steak over a campfire with my wife and kids during a fire ban.

Years ago but the principle is the same....

Nearby hunters had turned us in-the newspapers in Denver were reporting the bans were over and the reality was quite different.

The ranger guy was just doing his job and saw that we were being responsible but did of course make us put it out-we had just finished cooking thank goodness.

The citation was nothing more than a warning that a fire ban was in effect, they ran our IDs and so on to be sure we were not wanted criminals.

If you are out boozing it up and have a big crowd or have a roaring fire going, you will likely attract attention. Fire ban or no fire ban...

A small fire for cooking is fine but Glen for real entertainment heck these days your kids need those rear seat DVD players with the infrared wireless headsets and the headrest monitors yeah that is it for camping....he he heeeee :bigok: