News Release
Southwest District Office, Colorado

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 30, 2023
Contact: Deana Harms, 970-240-5335

BLM Tres Rios Field Office lift Stage I Fire Restrictions

Dolores, Colo. – Current Stage I Fire Restrictions Order COS01-23-02 will be rescinded on public lands
managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Tres Rios Field Office and Canyons of the Ancients
National Monument effective at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August 31, 2023. “Recent rains over much of the
region have lessened, but not eliminated, the danger from fire, allowing restrictions to be lifted. The public is
advised to be cautious with activities that could potentially ignite a fire,” said Southwest District Assistant Fire
Management Officer Rusty Stark.

Annual Fire Prevention Order COS01-23-01 for the Durango Special Recreation Management Area, which
implements fire restrictions within the Durango city limits, La Plata County, Colorado—including BLM lands
in the Grandview, Animas City Mountain, and Skyline areas—will remain in effect until rescinded. “These
areas adjacent to City of Durango are ‘Day Use Only,’ and overnight camping and campfires are prohibited to
reduce fire risk,” said Derek Padilla, Tres Rios Field Manager. “We encourage the public to respect the land by
recreating responsibly using ‘Leave No Trace’ practices and preventing wildfires while enjoying their public
lands.”

Fire officials remind visitors to practice these principles of outdoor fire safety:
• Clear all flammable material within three feet of campfire rings.
• Make a fire only if you have enough water and a shovel to put it out.
• Never leave a fire unattended and keep fires small and manageable.
• Extinguish fires completely. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.
• Avoid parking or idle vehicles in tall dry grass; the heat from the vehicle can spark a wildfire.
• Secure chains from vehicles or towed trailers so they do not drag and cause a wildfire.
• Fireworks are never allowed on federally managed lands.

For more information on fire restrictions, visit Southwest District Fire Restrictions | Bureau of Land
Management (blm.gov) or https://westslopefireinfo.com/.

For the most up-to-date information on wildland fire/prescribed burns in the Southwest District, you can follow
our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BLMMontroseFireUnit or Twitter https://twitter.com/SWD_Fire