Southwest District Fire Management Unit

Logo for the Southwest Fire Management Unit

Fire management in Colorado involves an interagency approach among federal, state, and local partners. BLM-managed lands in the state are divided into four interagency fire management units:  The Southwest District Fire Management Unit in Montrose; the Northwest Colorado Fire Unit in Craig; the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Unit in Grand Junction; and the Front Range District Fire Unit in Canon City.

Animas City Mountain Prescribed Burn

To reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire and improve forest health and wildlife habitat, the BLM Tres Rios Field Office has planned a prescribed fire treatment for up to 717 acres on Animas City Mountain in Durango, Colorado. Depending on weather conditions and the availability of firefighters, the prescribed burns could occur in spring 2023. An Inciweb page has been set up to provide information and updates on the status of the prescribed burn: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7688/

Animus

CURRENT FIRE RESTRICTIONS

TRES RIOS FIELD OFFICE
January 1, 2023: Fire Prevention Order COS01-23-01 restrictions enforcing a prohibition on camping and campfires within the Durango Special Recreation Management Area of Tres Rios Field Office, including BLM lands in the Grandview, Animas City Mountain, and Skyline areas.

UNCOMPAHGRE FIELD OFFICE
No fire restrictions at this time.

GUNNISON FIELD OFFICE
No fire restrictions at this time.

Fire Restriction Stages

All fire restrictions are in force unless an order is posted to rescind them. Please contact individual field offices for more information.

Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:

  • Campfires are only allowed within designated fire grates in developed campgrounds (i.e. a metal, in-ground containment structure -- fire pans and rock campfire rings are not acceptable).
  • No fires of any type, including charcoal, outside of developed areas.
  • No smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or in a barren area free of vegetation.
  • No use of explosive materials, including explosive targets.
  • No welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame, except from an area that has been cleared of vegetation.
  • No operation of any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed and in working order.

Under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, the following activities are prohibited:

  • Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, charcoal grill, coal, wood burning stove or sheepherders stove, including in developed camping and picnic grounds. Devices using pressurized liquid or gas are exempted.
  • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer, building, or tent.
  • Using an explosive requiring fuse or blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets and tracers or incendiary ammunition.
  • Operating or using any internal combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order meeting either:
    • (a) Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Standard 5100-1a; or
    • (b) Appropriate Society of automotive Engineers (SAE) recommended practice J335(b) and J350(a). 36 CFR 261.52(j)
  • Operating a chainsaw without an approved spark arrestor, and without a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher and a round-point shovel with an overall length of at least 35 inches. The extinguisher will be with the equipment operator.  The shovel may be kept with fueling supplies but readily available for use.
  • Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame (except with a current permit, contract or letter of authorization).
Conducting pile burns under the right conditions reduces the risk of large wildfires in the BLM Colorado Southwest District.