Illegal burn sparks debris fire in dry Logan County conditions

A small, prohibited burn on the 16000 block of CR 32 turned into a debris fire Sunday, underscoring how quickly dry Logan County conditions can turn a mistake into a property threat. Sterling Fire Department crews said they first spotted a large black column of smoke while responding to another call, then sent Fire 12 and Engine 12 to the scene.

When crews arrived, they found a pile of debris on fire. The property operator told responders they had been burning a small pile of prohibited items and left it unattended. By then, the fire had spread to nearby piles of tires and other items before firefighters quickly contained and extinguished it.

The incident put a hard edge on the department’s warning about open burning in and around Sterling, Colorado. The fire department said burning anything other than natural items is illegal, and that any controlled burn must be reported to the Sterling Emergency Communications Center. Failure to report a controlled burn can result in tickets or fines. In a county where the ground is already drying out, the margin for error is thin.

Sterling Fire Department also said the area remained dry despite recent rain and that conditions were getting worse each day. Colorado guidance says open burns are typically limited to wood piles, vegetation and yard waste, and may require permits. Those burns are usually restricted to fewer than 50 piles, with each pile no larger than 8 feet by 8 feet by 8 feet, and each pile should be out cold at sunset.

State fire officials warn that restrictions and bans can change rapidly, so the most current information should come from the local county sheriff, fire department or federal land agency. For Logan County residents, the lesson from Sunday’s call was immediate: a burn that starts small, especially when it is left unattended, can spread fast enough to threaten tires, debris and nearby property before crews have time to stop it.