13 Easy Ways to Prevent Wildfires While Camping in Colorado

Summer is upon us, and here in the West, that also means the start of wildfire season. Colorado has just experienced one of its driest winters on record, making wildfire precautions as important as they’ve ever been. Millions of people flock to Colorado to recreate every summer, but not everyone understands the severity of the wildfire risk. Since the majority of wildfires in Colorado are caused by humans, the more education we share about prevention, the better.

Here are a few easy, actionable ways to do your part to prevent wildfires and protect our public lands.

On the Road & Around Camp

1. Secure your trailer chains. If you’re towing anything, make sure your chains are not dragging. Dragging chains cause sparks that can quickly ignite a fire in the dry grasses that line highways and interstates.

2. Avoid parking on dry vegetation. Never park or drive over dry grass or brush. The extreme heat from your vehicle’s exhaust system can easily ignite a fire beneath your car.

3. Leave the fireworks at home. Don’t use fireworks at your campsite; the risk of fire and injury is simply too high. Fireworks are always best enjoyed in a controlled, professional setting.

4. Pack out your cigarette butts. Extinguish and pack out all cigarette butts. Never toss a cigarette out of your car window or leave it on the trail.

5. Make sure your OHV has a spark arrestor. If you plan on bringing motorized toys or chainsaws into the backcountry federal law requires you to have a functioning, approved spark arrestor.

Campfire Safety & Management

Unattended and poorly managed campfires are a huge wildfire risk and something we come across all too often. Please take the following into consideration the next time you’re thinking about starting a campfire:

6. Check local fire restrictions. Always be aware of local fire restrictions. Search online for “fire restrictions” followed by the county you are in or the specific National Forest where you’re camping.

7. Assess your surroundings. If you aren’t able to locate the current restrictions, make some smart observations about the area before committing to a fire. Is it windy, hot, or dry? Is there a lot of dry grass, brush, pine needles, or dead trees nearby? Do you have access to enough water to completely drown your campfire when you’re done? Even if there are no fire restrictions in place, it’s still wise to make a judgment call based on your immediate environment.

8. Use established fire rings. Always use an established fire ring or fire pit rather than creating a new one.

9. Keep a safe distance. Keep your fire at least 15 feet away from anything flammable, including tents, overhanging branches, and shrubs.

10. Never leave a fire unattended.

11. Keep your firewood manageable. Never put an entire log in the fire. Large logs can smolder for days, increasing the risk of a wildfire exponentially.

12. Properly extinguish your fire. Burn the wood completely to ash. Pour water on the ashes, add dirt, and stir it all together with your shovel. Repeat until the mixture is completely cold to the touch. Rule of thumb: If your campfire is too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave. (Remember to pack a shovel and a bucket to assist with properly drowning your fire.)

Campfire Alternatives

13. Consider skipping the wood fire entirely.

• Use a portable propane fire pit: Propane fires, like a LavaBox, are often allowed during stage 1 fire bans and can be turned off instantly.
• Embrace the dark: Stargazing is far better when your eyes can adjust to the night sky, and as a bonus, your clothes won’t stink of smoke the next morning.
• Create safe ambiance: If ambiance is what you’re after, skip the flames and string up some solar-powered lights instead. We absolutely love our Luci lights by MPOWERD.

Making Sense of Fire Restrictions

Fire restrictions are an integral component to preventing wildfires. However, if you don’t know what Stage 1, Stage 2, or Stage 3 fire restrictions mean, then they don’t do much good. When driving on Colorado highways and interstates during the summer months, you’re likely to see signage for fire restrictions that are currently in place for that particular county. May this simple breakdown of fire restrictions help you remember what is and isn’t allowed while camping on public lands.

Stage 1: Moderate Restrictions

ALLOWED	PROHIBITED
Wood fires built inside permanently installed metal or concrete fire pits and grates at official, developed campgrounds or picnic areas.	Wood fires outside of established campgrounds.
Fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves and portable propane fire rings.	Smoking, unless in a car, building, or barren area.
	Fireworks

Stage 2: Severe Restrictions (total ban of wood fires)

ALLOWED	PROHIBITED
Liquid-fueled and gas-fueled devices are typically permitted during Stage 2. This means you can still use items like gas camping stoves, propane grills, and portable propane fire pits because they feature a shut-off valve that instantly extinguishes the flame.	Wood fires AND charcoal grills are banned everywhere. This includes designated campgrounds and private residences.
	Smoking outdoors
	Fireworks

Stage 3: Closure

All non-essential personnel are strictly prohibited from entering, being upon, or using the public lands within a Stage 3 closure area.

Red Flag Warnings

During critical weather conditions the National Weather Service will issue Red Flag Warnings. When these warnings are issued all open burns and campfires are strictly prohibited, regardless of whether or not the county has any official restrictions yet.

***Please note, this is NOT a comprehensive list of everything that is allowed and prohibited during fire bans. My goal here is to provide some basic information that is easy to remember, as it pertains to camping. For a complete list of what is and what is not allowed, see this list provided by the National Forest Service or consult the website for the local agency where you are recreating.

The Worst Case Scenario: What to Do If a Fire Escapes

A sudden gust of wind can carry a hot ember, or a patch of dry grass can ignite faster than you realize. If your campfire escapes the fire ring, here are three immediate steps to take:

1. Act fast, but don’t panic If the fire is still small and contained to the immediate grass or dirt around your pit, grab your bucket of water and shovel immediately. Douse the edges of the escaped fire first to stop its spread, then work your way inward. Use your shovel to throw dirt on the flames to smother the oxygen.

2. Call 911 immediately Do not wait to see if it dies down on its own, and don’t try to be a hero against a growing brush fire. Call 911 the very second the fire escapes your immediate control. The faster the authorities are notified, the quicker they can act in order to stop a massive disaster.

3. Do NOT run away The fear of getting in trouble causes many people to flee the scene of an escaped campfire. This is the absolute worst thing you can do. Fleeing delays the emergency response and quickly turns an accident into a severe criminal offense. Once you are in a safe location, stay on the line with dispatch and wait for the fire department to arrive. You need to be able to tell them exactly where the fire started, what it caught on, and if anyone else is camping in the immediate area. Taking responsibility could save thousands of acres and countless lives.

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By practicing these easy fire safety habits, we can all do our part to protect the incredible public lands we love so much. We hope you have a fantastic, safe camping season. Let us know in the comments below if you have any other go-to fire prevention tips that we missed.