HB 18-1051

House Bill 18-1051, which has been signed into law, aims to prevent unattended campfires that can lead to wildfires. It makes it illegal for anyone to leave a campfire unattended without thoroughly extinguishing it and imposes fines ranging from $50 to $750 or up to six months in jail if the fire is in forested or grassland areas. This law applies to all individuals who start or maintain fires, especially on state wildlife property, and increases penalties for those whose actions lead to unattended blazes that could endanger natural habitats and communities.

Official Summary

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill states that any person who starts or maintains a campfire commits the offense of leaving a campfire unattended if he or she knowingly or recklessly: Fails to reasonably attend the campfire at all times; or Fails to thoroughly extinguish the campfire before leaving the site. A person who commits the offense of leaving a campfire unattended commits a class 2 petty offense and, upon conviction of the offense, is punished by a fine of $50. A person who commits the offense of leaving a campfire unattended where the campfire is located in a forested or grassland area commits a class 3 misdemeanor and, upon conviction of the offense, is punished by a minimum sentence of a $50 fine up to a maximum sentence of 6 months imprisonment or a $750 fine, or both. This section also deletes existing statutory provisions requiring a county to post notices concerning unattended campfires. With respect to a fire on any property under the control of the division of parks and wildlife, section 2 makes it unlawful for any person to start or maintain a fire if he or she knowingly or recklessly fails to reasonably attend the fire at all times or fails to thoroughly extinguish the fire before leaving the site. Any person who violates this section of the bill is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, is punished by a minimum sentence of a $50 fine up to a maximum sentence of 6 months imprisonment or a $750 dollar fine, or both. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) Read More

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