Forest Service officials and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are urging hunters to exercise extreme caution with their campfires in southern Colorado and on the Western Slope due to extremely dry conditions.
Joe Lewandowski, a spokesman for CPW, said Sunday nightap snow did little to reduce the fire danger in the southern part of the state.
’s so dry down here,” Lewandowski said. “We really haven’t had any moisture to speak of since probably mid-August. We’re just asking people to be really careful with their fires — keep them kind of small, make sure they’re put out completely at night, and whenever people leave camp. Itap pretty cold out, so people are definitely going to be building fires.”
The second of four rifle seasons in the state for deer and elk began last Saturday and runs through Oct. 27. Two more will follow in November.
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“Really, across the southern tier of the state, itap all pretty darned dry, which is unusual for this time of year,” Lewandowski said. “And the forecast for the week is that itap going to stay kind of dry and sunny.”
Near Ridgway, the Cow Creek fire continues to burn despite four inches of snow that fell Sunday night. Approximately 785 acres have burned there, according to Kimberlee Phillips, public information officer for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests.
‘It is receiving some moisture, but it is extremely dry,” Phillips said. “You need to use extreme caution when using campfires.”
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Phillips said another fire near Cedaredge at the Grand Mesa has been contained at 36 acres.
