Effective November 7, 2024, the fire restrictions have been lifted.
Due to extremely dry conditions the Town of Bennett hereby orders a stage two (2) fire restrictions within the Town of Bennett incorporated limits effective immediately. These restrictions will remain in effect until such time this order is formally rescinded or temporarily suspended by the Town Manager, and such date cannot be determined at this time. The Town Manager, in consultation with the Bennett Watkins Fire District and the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, will review the restrictions and adjust as needed.
Stage 1 – Means no open burning of any kind without a permit from the appropriate fire district.
Exemptions:
- Fires contained within liquid-fueled or gas stoves, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves/fireplaces within habitable buildings.
- Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled barbecue grills used for cooking or warming food, which do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled fire pits that do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Charcoal-fueled grills and pits used for cooking or warming food, which do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Fire set by any federal, state, or local officer, or member of a fire protection district in the performance of an official duty.
- Residential use of charcoal grills, Tiki torches, chimineas or other portable fireplaces or patio fire pits where allowed by code. Fires must be supervised by a responsible person of at least 18 years of age.
- Small recreational fires at developed picnic or campground sites contained in fixed permanent metal/steel fire pits (rock fire rings are considered temporary and not permanent) with flame lengths not in excess of four feet.
Stage 2 – Means extreme conditions, no open burning allowed.
No outdoor fires, including, but not limited to, campfires, fires in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates within developed camp and picnic grounds and recreation sites; charcoal-fueled fires, warming fires, fires in outdoor wood-burning stoves (chimney sparks or embers); and the prescribed burning of fence lines, fence rows, fields, farmlands, range lands, wild lands, trash, and debris.
Exemptions:
- Fires contained within liquid-fueled or gas stoves, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves/fireplaces within habitable buildings.
- Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled barbecue grills used for cooking or warming food, which do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Charcoal-fueled grills and pits used for cooking or warming food do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled fire pits that do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
- Fire set by any federal, state, or local officer, or member of a fire protection district in the performance of an official duty.
- Public fireworks displays supervised by appropriate firefighting/public safety personnel and supported by adequate equipment assigned to be on the scene of such permitted.
- Those having burn permits issued by the Fire Chief CANNOT burn during Level 2.
Note: Declarations of “Red Flag Warning” by the National Weather Service for Adams County or Arapahoe County will automatically place fire restrictions to Stage 2.
Trish Stiles, Bennett Town Manager, has determined that the existing conditions in the Town present an extreme danger for the possibility of wildfire and large wildland fires. The authority to implement the Fire Restrictions is provided through municipal ordinance 2-9-40 (a).
The Town of Bennett Open Burning Ban is implemented as a result of discussions between Arapahoe County Sheriff, Tyler Brown and the Bennett Watkins Fire Protection District.
Any questions regarding the Open Burning Ban can be directed to the Town Manager, Trish Stiles or to the Bennett Watkins Fire Marshal, Victoria Flamini.