Officials Plead for Rain, Increasing Diligence From Residents and Tourists
Trevor Phipps
This year, fire season has arrived extremely early and a slew of significant blazes near Teller County’s doorstep prove the threats are real.
Worse of all, the scenario could get worse before any relief is in sight.
About a month ago, the Teller County commissioners, along with officials in other regions, declared a Stage 1 fire ban due to low snowpack levels and dry conditions.
But then two major fires, including the Hwy. 24 Fire ignited on Fort Carson property southwest of Colorado Springs. The 24 Fire burned over 7,000 acres while causing Highway 115 to shut down for over a week.
After the fire ignited on March 18 and sent plumes of smoke into Teller County, the commissioners upgraded the fire ban to a Stage 2 level, which is the next stage from a complete shutdown of most recreation areas. Although the 24 Fire and other blazes at Fort Carson have been brought under control, the strict fire ban continues to be enforced. Consequently, smoking outside and most grilling activities are entirely banned.
During the month of March, Teller County and the rest of the Pikes Peak Region saw little moisture. Instead, Mother Nature dosed the region with dry, windy days. In fact, red flag warnings remained the norm for the majority days in March.
In addition to the abnormally hot, dry and windy conditions, the entire state of Colorado is experiencing historically low snowpack levels. According to Denver weather stations, Colorado had a historically dry winter and there isn’t much snow in the forecast to end the season. As of late March, Colorado had only 41 percent of the snowpack it should have this time of year.
According to Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams the low snowpack combined with the hot, dry weather has made the Stage 2 ban necessary. “Stage two means no outdoor burning at all and no smoking outside you actually have to smoke in a car,” Williams said.
Williams went further to say that the Stage 2 fire ban will remain in place until the dry weather conditions cease. He said that everyone hopes the region will see wet late spring and early summer seasons, similar to what happened in 2023.
However, the weather forecasts offer little hope in the near future. Myforecast.com and AccuWeather’s 30-day forecast both say that there is a chance of moisture this week, most likely Thursday through Saturday.
However, aside from that, both websites with 30-day forecasts predict more dry weather to come for the rest of April. One model shows weather warming back up in the mid-70s in late April with little chances of rain or snow.
And according to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) meteorologists, the fire danger will be elevated during the summer. According to a report published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), CDOT has warned the public of “above normal” potential for significant wildfires across the state. The danger is even higher in the mountains and foothills in Colorado.
Commissioners Issue Strict Warnings
With the high fire risk across the region, county officials have been on high alert to make sure both residents and tourists abide by the fire ban rules. One weekend, Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell traversed the county and placed large signs all over the region warning motorists of the stage two fire ban that’s in place.
According to Williams, there were already several people caught violating the fire ban in the first few weeks it was in place. “The first weekend we did it, we had to ticket seven people,” Williams said. “The first weekend we implemented the stage two fire ban was the weekend that there was so much smoke up here from that fire down by Fort Carson you could barely see. People stayed inside, you got choked, and you could smell it. Even in the middle of that, we had people that were up here touring around or campers lighting illegal fires.”
In the aftermath of the 24 Fire, the cause was determined to be a malfunctioning vehicle that pulled over on the side of the highway. Officials say this demonstrates that one little spark can turn into a major wild land blaze with our hot, dry and windy conditions.
Overall, county officials warn everyone that the fire danger is high, and it will most likely stay that way unless the area receives some moisture soon. “The big call to action or ask particularly for Teller County residents is that if they see something report it,” Williams said. “It is so bone dry. The whole state is really dry, so we are all just holding our breaths. We are ready, but we really need everyone’s help. We have zero tolerance right now for any fires.”
Williams said that everyone is hoping for a wet and rainy summer season to balance things out.
But until then, Williams reminds everyone that just having hope isn’t a good method. He says residents and visitors must be diligent and aware of the dry and dangerous conditions when they are outside.
