{"id":130211,"date":"2026-05-21T20:16:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T02:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/san-juan-national-forest-implements-stage-1-fire-ban\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T20:16:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T02:16:06","slug":"san-juan-national-forest-implements-stage-1-fire-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/san-juan-national-forest-implements-stage-1-fire-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"San Juan National Forest implements Stage 1 fire ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fire
Fire personnel monitor a prescribed burn across roughly 1,500 acres in late-April at the Boggy Draw Trail System outside Dolores. Forest officials said greenery quickly drying out for the forest\u2019s lower parts prompted new Stage 1 fire restrictions across the San Juan National Forest. (Anna Watson\/The Journal)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Stage 1 restrictions will go into effect Friday across lower-elevation areas of the San Juan National Forest, primarily on the western side of the Dolores Ranger District, according to forest officials.<\/p>\n

The first of three restricted levels mainly means banning campfires, charcoal grills or stove fires outside developed campgrounds, meaning visitors can no longer build fires in dispersed camping sites or rock rings in those affected areas.<\/p>\n

A fire can occur in a metal or concrete firepit the Forest Service has installed at a designated campsite or picnic area. A device fueled by liquid or gas, which turns on and off, is also acceptable, said Forest Service spokesperson Lorena Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople have figured out that fire restrictions are a common occurrence in the summer and lots have purchased propane fire pits and those are wonderful,\u201d Williams said, adding campers can still get the ambiance and heat but less fire danger.<\/p>\n

The order limits smoking to acceptable areas and explicitly bans explosives, which are illegal.<\/p>\n

Forest officials are seeing varied conditions across the forest. Fire danger is higher for areas at or below 8,000 feet due to vegetation rapidly drying out. While green up in high country is still occurring.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrass is a great example where it reaches that peak green up, you look up in the hills and fields and you see nice, lush-looking grass then two weeks later it\u2019s yellowed and wilted,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n

She said green grass typically resists fire spread, while cured \u2013 or dried and yellowed \u2013 grass carries fast-moving fire more easily.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe still had some somewhat localized but effective rainstorms that reached the high country just as recently as Monday,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n

A Forest Service map shows which lower-elevation areas fall under Stage 1 fire restrictions and which higher-elevation remain exempt, including congressionally designated wilderness areas like Lizard Head and Hermosa Creek wildernesses.<\/p>\n