Colorado has had a relatively mild summer so far, but hot weather and lack of rain are causing much of the state to become parched.
Fire danger in the northern half of the state, north of Interstate 70, is rated high to extremely high already, according to the state’s Office of Emergency Management.
Much of the grassland east of Interstate 25 is drying out as well and becoming tinder.
The National Weather Service predicts that temperatures in August will be higher than normal this year, while precipitation amounts should be normal.
Nineteen counties have issued fire restrictions, some so restrictive as to prohibit any open flames. Restrictions are in place for the counties of Archuleta, Delta, Eagle, Elbert, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, La Plata, Larimer, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Miguel and Summit.
Fire restrictions also have been placed on Brown’s Park National Wildlife Refuge, all Bureau of Land Management lands managed by the Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction offices, Dinosaur National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, San Juan National Forest, the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian reservations, and the White River National Forest.
Staff writer Mike McPhee can be reached at 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com.
