DENVER – Farmers could be blocked from burning their ditches when fire danger is high under a bill the state Senate approved Friday.
House Bill 1007 gives county commissioners the power to limit agricultural burning on red flag and windy days.
Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, said it’s unclear if they have the power already. She’s talked to county officials who insist they have the authority and to others who insist they don’t.
“I had the Cortez fire chief tell me one time at a town hall that this is of grave concern to the people of Cortez,” Roberts said.
Republicans were split on the bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Larry Crowder, R-Alamosa.
“I think it is time that we need to realize there are consequences of fire around populated area,” Crowder said.
But Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, said a burn ban could be a problem on his farm.
“Timing is everything for us. When it is time to start irrigating, we have to have the ditches burned,” Brophy said.
And Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, said all the laws in the world will not stop fires.
“We’re not going to stop fires by these regulations. I tell you what we will do, though. We’ll be more of a nagging nuisance to the ag community that is already overburdened,” Lundberg said.
The Senate passed the bill on an initial voice vote. It needs one more recorded vote, likely Monday, before it can pass the Senate. It already has passed the House.
Although the Legislature has several bills that relate to wildfires, HB 1007 is one of a just a few that directly address fire prevention. The others would increase tax credits for landowners who remove overgrowth and allow loans from the state’s water and power authority to fund forest health projects.
jhanel@cortezjournal.com