Stay out of closed Waldo Canyon burn area

What’s behind the no admittance signs in the closed Waldo Canyon burn area should make you think twice about deciding to hike in there. U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer Tom Healy showed me behind the signs to get a better feel for why you need to stay out. Healy said, “It’s a slippery environment. In some cases, a foot or more of powdery ash is there that covers up holes, stump holes and rocks. If someone gets in there and gets injured or lost, then that puts Search and Rescue at risk because they have to go in there to this hazardous area, effect a rescue and get someone out.”

Healy is among seven officers who is traveling up to 200 miles per day to monitor and control the massive thousands of acres of closed area. Officer Healy also told me, “Part of the frustration we have is that subdivisions immediately back up to the Pike National Forest boundary.” That close proximity of people and nature makes it difficult to control all the access points and make sure trespassers stay out.

So far, at least ten tickets have been issued. At least 100 others have been talked to and let go if they accidentally strayed into the closed burn area. Officer Healy said, “We’ve had arrests for driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol and those were for people headed inside the no admittance areas.”

The starting fines for being found inside the closed burn zones start at 325 dollars and go up to five thousand dollars and or six months in jail. Go back to the front page of KRDO.com, links we mentioned and click on the most current map of the no admittance areas of the forest because of the massive wildfire.