CRFR contains a small grass fire at Harvey Gap Thursday evening

Firefighters with Colorado River Fire Rescue extinguish a small grass fire near Harvey Gap State Park Thursday north of Silt.

A small 1-acre grass fire near Harvey Gap Reservoir was quickly extinguished Thursday evening.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado River Fire Rescue responded to a small grass fire on the southwest corner of Harvey Gap Reservoir.

The blaze was quickly contained and extinguished.

In a news release the Sheriff’s Office reminded county residents Stage 1 Fire restrictions in unincorporated Garfield County are currently in effect. 

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The restriction are due to the potential for high winds and the dry conditions of potential fuels at lower elevations as well as the limited resources available to combat a large-scale fire due to COVID-19. 

Stage 1 Fire restrictions in Garfield County are as follows: 

A “Developed Area” is an area, whether within city limits or rural, that is groomed, manicured and or watered, where grasses, brush and trees are regularly attended to by a landowner. This includes residential and business areas, improved recreational areas, parks and other common areas. 

An “Undeveloped Area” are lands that are not groomed, manicured, or watered, where grasses, brush and trees have been allowed to grow in a natural environment. This includes green belts that are not landscaped or manicured, open space lands, non-manicured parklands, and other areas where the fire hazard presented by the vegetation is determined by the authority having jurisdiction or designee to be an undue wildland fire hazard. 

  • All burn permits are postponed/canceled until further notice with the issuance of Stage 1 burn restrictions.
  • Campfires are only allowed within designated fire grates in Developed Areas (i.e. a permanent in-ground containment structure or store bought fire pit) Temporary fire pans and rock campfire rings will not be acceptable.
  • No fires of any type including charcoal in undeveloped areas.
  • No smoking except within a designated area, enclosed vehicle or building, a developed area or in an area free of combustibles.
  • No use of explosive materials, including “exploding” targets or bullets and tracer rounds.
  • Exercise common sense and industry safety practice when welding or operation of an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame always cleared safe area of vegetation and combustibles.

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