Multiple factors considered for fire restrictions

Fire danger is high and there is a red flag warning in large parts of southern Colorado, but it takes multiple factors to determine fire restrictions.

In El Paso County, Deputy Fire Marshal Scott Campbell says they consider seven criteria. These include fuel-moisture content, weather conditions, fire-danger rating, whether there are fires at the time using up resources and whether there have been many human-caused fires in the area.

“If we’re having dry conditions and lightning storms, fire restrictions don’t help us, because we can’t control the lightning,” Campbell said. “What we can control or attempt to control is the human component.”

Campbell said if there are no fires, even if the conditions for fires are there, restrictions won’t help reduce the amount of fires – because there aren’t any to begin with. But sometimes, when enough of the other criteria are present, they do set fire restrictions even when there are no fires.

Currently, El Paso County doesn’t have fire restrictions in place, and neither does the City of Colorado Springs.