High grasses, weeds could raise weekend fire danger in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs officials warn residents that grasses and weeds growing high now will turn brown or become dormant after a frost or with the continued dry weather, turning the vegetation into potential fuel for wildfires.
Late summer rain, followed by extended warm weather, has caused vegetation to grow extensively — a situation firefighters said is normal for early fall.
“We’ve had a few grass fires that have come through,” said Jeremy Taylor, wildfire mitigation specialist with the Colorado Springs Fire Department. “Some are along the roadways, some are back into our open space areas. Throughout the city, all over. But people need to have that heightened awareness.”
Firefighters said two of those fires burned in and around homeless camps — a situation that was all too common last year — where brush, grasses, and weeds often are highest and thickest.
To further reduce the fire danger, city workers have resumed mowing public areas after wet weather made it difficult to use heavy equipment.
“This mowing is a little later than we might typically have done it,” said Kurt Schroeder, operations manager for the city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. “But based upon what we’ve seen, we give the go-ahead to the contractors based upon what we’re seeing out there. If things are starting to grow, let’s get out there and knock it back.”
Schroeder said workers are in their third round of mowing for the year and have one more planned before it ends.
Mitch Hammes, of the city’s Code Enforcement Office, said private property owners can help reduce the fire danger further by keeping vegetation at a maximum height of 9 inches.
“If we receive a complaint or if code enforcement sees those conditions on your property, we’ll come out and send you a friendly letter asking you to get them cut,” he said. “If you don’t, we can go out and cut them for you. There are some fines and fees attached to that.”
A red flag warning, indicating favorable conditions for high fire danger, is expected for the area Saturday.
