Sterling firefighters warn of dangers from unreported burns in Logan County

A column of black smoke pulled Sterling Fire Department crews off another call Sunday and sent Fire 12 and Engine 12 to the 16000 block of County Road 32, where firefighters found multiple debris piles burning in unincorporated Logan County.

The fire department said the quick diversion mattered because the crews were already occupied when the smoke came into view. No injuries were reported, but the incident showed how a burn that is not reported or kept under control can become a broader emergency and tie up responders who may be needed elsewhere in the county.

A local report added that the property operator admitted burning a small pile of prohibited materials and leaving it unattended. The fire spread to nearby piles of tires and other debris before crews arrived and extinguished it. That detail sharpened the warning for rural property owners who burn brush, trash or cleanup debris: a small pile can turn into a larger response in minutes.

Sterling’s open-burning guidance leaves little room for guesswork. There is no open burning in city limits except limited commercial fire pits, no burning of any kind is allowed on Red Flag days or when sustained winds are over 15 mph, and residents are told to notify the fire department at least one hour before a planned burn. Only untreated, natural wood may be burned. Tree stumps, tires, chemicals, plastic, cut lumber, construction debris and trash are prohibited.

The consequences can be steep. Colorado law cited by Sterling allows a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day for burning without a permit or burning prohibited materials. Logan County Ordinance No. 06-01 says open fires and open burning are a prime cause of grass and prairie fires in the county, and the sheriff, acting as fire warden through a deputy fire marshal, monitors fire-weather conditions and fire-danger ratings because dry conditions and low moisture can make burning hazardous.

The warning carries countywide weight because Sterling Fire serves more than 600 square miles, while EMS coverage reaches across Logan County’s roughly 1,850 square miles. One unattended burn on a rural road can draw equipment, personnel and attention away from other emergencies, which is exactly why officials want residents to report burns before they start and keep them under control until they are out cold.