Governor Lifts Statewide Burn Ban

Gov. John Hickenlooper said cool, wet weather has allowed him to lift the statewide fire ban he ordered last month.

The governor said Sunday that “Mother Nature is finally giving us some relief,” and extreme fire conditions have abated in all of Colorado’s 64 counties.

Recent widespread rainfall has allowed crews to gain the upper hand on several fires, including the two most destructive in state history. The High Park Fire near Fort Collins is fully contained, and the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs is 98 percent contained.

The fire ban ordered June 14 applied to open burning, including campfires, warming fires, charcoal grill fires, fused explosives and private use of fireworks. Hickenlooper said local authorities and federal land managers can resume control over fire bans in their jurisdictions.

Some restrictions remain in place in Colorado Springs.