Pueblo West fire crews fighting more fires than this point last year

The Pueblo West Fire Department has already responded to more fires this year than last year at this time.

With continued dry conditions in the forecast, firefighters are on their toes.

Vance Whittington tries to do his part to protect his property from fire.

“Well, the best way we do it is water our grass a lot. We also make sure our 1.3 acres is mowed all the time,” he said.

Whittington worries it will be all for nothing because of the dry brush in Pueblo West.

“It’s a tinderbox. It’s extremely dry and if it caught on fire, I don’t think my maintenance would contain the fires at all,” he said.

The Pueblo West Metro District has stopped mowing operations for now because it says mowing in dry conditions could be a recipe for disaster.

“If we start putting the tractors out there mowing, there is still a high chance that those could cause a fire by accident,” Division Chief Brad Davidson said.

Davidson said crews are dealing with more than excess brush.

“We’ve had more structure fires this year already and wildland fires and it’s only March,” he said.

The division chief said he has help from neighboring fire departments to help with the fires.

“At anytime there are resources that come in and we always have resources available,” Davidson said.

Whittington is hoping for divine intervention to help solve this problem.

“Pray for rain or snow,” he said.

Davidson said if the dry conditions persist, there could be a long-term burn ban in Pueblo West until there is moisture.