Wildfire Partner Program
Larimer County Sheriff's Office Emergency Services Unit has an initiative called the Wildfire Partners Program (WPP) to help residents prepare for wildfire in their community and reduce their risk of loss during a wildfire. RCVFD is pleased to participate in this program, and if you would like to have a free Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) Assessment done, fill out the form below.

Mark McCracken

Thursday, 20 August 2020 12:27

Community Zoom Meeting

Join us for our second Community Meeting, on Zoom as before, on Saturday, August 22, at 7:00 PM. Fire Chief Jeff Elsner will give an update on the status of the Cameron Peak Fire, and Assistant Chief Phil Benstein will go into details on mitigation steps you can take around your home to maximize your preparedness in case of a wildfire in our area. With Cameron Peak nearby, this is especially topical; but mitigation is important every year.

Topic: RCVFD Community Meeting
Time: Aug 22, 2020 07:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81703683383?pwd=WlFFV1NhOWxiNkhydEZFbEJUZTBJQT09

Meeting ID: 817 0368 3383
Passcode: 282858

Phone Numbers
888 475 4499 US Toll-free
877 853 5257 US Toll-free

Agenda
  • Additional updates on Cameron Peak Fire and any new fire activity
  • Home Mitigation: Demystifying D-Space and Adding Measures for Firebrand Ignition
  • Community Questions
Tuesday, 18 August 2020 21:19

Larimer County open fire ban in effect

On recommendation from the Larimer County Sheriff, the Board of Larimer County Commissioners today voted 3-0 to adopt a resolution banning open fires in unincorporated Larimer County. The fire ban goes into effect today, August 18, 2020, and stays in effect until noon Sept. 18, 2020. Full resolution here.

This fire ban replaces an earlier fire restriction adopted on July 21, 2020.

The fire ban includes:

  • No open fires, open burning, including camp stoves and grills and any cooking fires.
  • No welding, or operating acetylene or other torch.
  • No smoking in the open, including trails, parks and open spaces or outside of buildings.
  • No Fireworks or fireworks displays produced by combustion, detonation or deflagration.
  • No incendiary devices, including sky lanterns, exploding ammunition, exploding targets, and tracer ammunition.
  • No fires in permanently constructed outside stationary masonry or metal fireplaces.
  • Charcoal and wood pellet grills.

Not banned:

  • Operation of an internal combustion engine with a spark arresting device properly installed.
  • Emergency signal devices and flares.
  • Fires and wood stoves located inside permanent structures. 
  • Propane grills.

The Larimer County Sheriff may give limited exemptions from these restrictions based on his pre-approval and inspection. Any person who knowingly violates the restrictions can be fined.  The ordinance for the Regulation of Open Burning in unincorporated Larimer County can be found here: https://www.larimer.org/sites/default/files/fire_ban_ordinance.pdf

Sincerely,
Jeff Elsner, Chief
Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department
P.O. Box 2
Bellvue, CO 80512
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Friday, 14 August 2020 20:06

Community Zoom Meeting

Join Chief Elsner, Assistant Chief Benstein, and PIO McCracken for a community meeting on the Cameron Peak Fire, Saturday August 15, 7:00 PM.

Because of the reality we live in this year, we will be doing this on Zoom to preserve social distancing and ensure everyone's health and safety. We will discuss the current status of the fire, good sources to find updates, community preparedness, and suggestions for ways to protect yourself, your family, and your property. We are not directly involved in the Cameron Peak Fire, so don't expect the "inside track," but we can offer our experiences and training to assist you. These topics can be helpful not only for the Cameron Peak Fire specifically, but can be applied to potential future fires as well.

We will be doing screen shares to supplement the discussions, so please join from your computer if you can. But if you can't join via the internet, we also have toll-free numbers to let you call in. All the information is below.

This direct link will get you to the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84583823337?pwd=Z2J0YzZHKzhET3Vyb0xCZWN6MFB0Zz09

If that doesn't work, you can open Zoom and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode:
  • Meeting ID: 845 8382 3337
  • Passcode: 888970


If all else fails, use one of the following toll-free numbers to call in:
  • 888-475-4499
  • 877-853-5257


We're all in this together as a community, so let's get together and provide each other some support.
Thursday, 13 August 2020 17:59

Cameron Peak Fire

There is a fire burning at the north end of Chambers Lake near Cameron Pass. Current size estimate is about 1500 acres, but it started today and has grown rapidly, so expect that number to change. It looks to be on USFS land, and several VFDs in the area are assisting via mutual aid. RCVFD has not been deployed yet, but Chief Elsner is reaching out to offer further assistance.

It won't be hard to find updates on this fire, the news websites are all over it. In addition to the Grizzly Creek Fire in Glenwood Springs and the Pine Gulch Fire in Grand Junction, our area will be very smoky this weekend. Smoke plumes from Cameron will probably be visible over the next couple of days.

Our area is very dry, and we are currently under a Red Flag Warning until 20:00 tonight. Don't hesitate to call 911 if you see flames.

Sunday, 02 August 2020 18:34

Stringtown Fire

About 1:00 PM on 2 August, Rist Canyon firefighters and Larimer County Emergency Services responded to a 1/2-acre wildland fire burning adjacent to Stringtown Gulch Road. This is in our mutual aid area with Loveland Fire, and they responded as well, bringing a much-needed water tender and personnel to assist. The fire was burning on USFS land, and so Forest Service firefighters were also dispatched. With this much equipment and human response, the fire was under control in a few hours. All three agencies were actively involved in the fighting of this fire throughout initial attack right on through final mop-up.

RCVFD would like to thank its partners in this fire: USFS, Loveland FD, and Larimer County Emergency Services.
Sunday, 26 July 2020 11:37

7/25 Smoke Report

Yesterday late afternoon, RCVFD, Larimer County Emergency Services and US Forest Service responded to a smoke report in the Moody Hill area. Continuing the search this morning, the USFS aided by air resources were able to positively identify the source of the smoke as a bonfire on private land near Crystal Mountain. US Forest Service firefighters were able to make contact with the residents and instruct them to extinguish the bonfire in accordance with the Larimer County fire restrictions currently in effect.

Thank you to all the residents that participated in helping us locate this fire.

As a reminder, as of July 22, all open fires including camp fires are currently restricted in unincorporated portions Larimer County, and will remain so until August 31. Fireworks are always illegal in our area. Please note that the US Forest Service has also implemented fire restrictions on USFS land until further notice.

As always, if you see smoke or flames, call 911 immediately.
Tuesday, 14 July 2020 14:58

Fire Update

The Larimer County Sheriff is reporting that the Stratton Park Fire had no growth overnight and is 75% contained at approximately 3-4 acres as of about 13:00 today. No air resources in the area today, 23 firefighters on-scene, and no structures threatened or injuries reported.

There is also a 0.1-acre fire on US Forest Service land near Pennock Pass. The USFS is on-scene and has not requested assistance from any other resources in the area.
Monday, 13 July 2020 21:58

Stratton Park Fire

There is a wildland fire burning about 3 miles north of Stratton Park, approximately 3-4 acres in size, and caused by a lightning strike. Although this is called the Stratton Park Fire, it is closer to Poudre Canyon than Stratton Park, near Kings Canyon Road. Poudre Canyon Fire is leading the management of it along with Larimer County Emergency Services. Rist Canyon units did extensive scouting for access from our canyon in case it becomes necessary, and a Type 1 helicopter and MMA fixed-wing aircraft are involved. Smoke jumpers and Roosevelt Hotshots are on-scene and will be working through the night for containment. LCSO Emergency Services predicts 100% containment by morning. No structures are threatened at this time.

The best source of information we have found so far has been the Larimer Sheriff twitter feed.
Tuesday, 07 July 2020 07:34

New Ristwatch

Hot off the presses, the new Ristwatch is available on the RCVFD website!
The Mountain Festival is an important source of support for the RCVFD. Especially given the 2020 Festival has been cancelled, if you would like to provide support these are ways you can help.

  • Take five minutes to select the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department as your designated charity associated with your King Soopers Rewards Card. Your fuel points and rewards are unaffected while the Department receives a generous 5 percent from all your purchases at King Soopers. If you don’t already have a free Rewards Card, request one from a cashier or at the service desk. Once that is done go to the King Soopers Community Awards website. Click on the link to enroll to set up an account or sign in if you already have one. Click “Community Rewards” from the list on the left, use the “Find an Organization” box, enter our NPO number YP687, and click search. It will verify you have selected the RCVFD, then click “Enroll.” Each time you shop at King Soopers with your Rewards Card, the Fire Department receives 5 percent of your total purchase while at the same time you receive Rewards Card savings on items including gasoline.
  • Amazon Smile is the same Amazon you know with the added benefit of 5 percent of Amazon Smile purchases being donated to the charitable organization of your choice. Just go to smile.amazon.com or if you have an account sign in. Select Rist Canyon VFD as the charity you would like to give to, bookmark this website, and use it for all your Amazon purchases.
  • The Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department also is registered with the Colorado Gives Program. Donating is easy through the Colorado Gives website.
  • Lastly, donations may be sent directly to the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department via our website or through good old-fashioned mail at PO Box 2, Bellvue, CO 80512.
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