City of Santa Fe Fire Department Issues Fire Restrictions

The City of Santa Fe Fire Department announces fire restrictions and will strictly enforce them. Fire restrictions include: fireworks in the dangerous category, open burning, smoking, and motorized ATVs/motorcycles on city owned open space, parks, trails, or other recreational areas due to severe drought conditions and progressively worsening wildland fire conditions. The fire restrictions will remain in effect until further notice. City fire officials will continue to monitor the risks and reassess as conditions change.

“I implore all city residents to abide by these fire restrictions,” said Reynaldo Gonzales, Fire Marshal for the City of Santa Fe. “It only takes a spark to ignite a fire in these dry conditions. These restrictions are in place to protect people, property and our city.”

In order to preserve lives and property during these emergency conditions, the City of Santa Fe Fire Department shall prohibit the following activities until further notice:

• Open Burning – All open burning, including camp fires, bonfires, pit barbecues, and the burning of weeds, trash, or other vegetation is prohibited.
  • All burn permit requests are being rejected until weather conditions improve and the fire danger has been reduced significantly.
• Smoking – No smoking in public parks, recreation areas, or on any public trail.
• Motorized ATV’s or Motorcycles –The use of any motorized ATV’s or motorcycles on City owned open space, parks, trails, or other recreational areas is prohibited.
• Barbecue Grills – The use of charcoal barbecue grills in public parks and recreation areas is prohibited.
  • Charcoal barbecuing at home will be permitted providing the fire is closely monitored and fire-extinguishing equipment, such as a garden hose or fire extinguisher, is readily available.

• All fireworks that fall in the dangerous firework category are prohibited:
  • Dangerous fireworks means any firecracker, roman candle, skyrocket, torpedo, bomb, blank cartridge, cone-shape fountain, bottle rocket and flyer or any other type or form of explosive; any item that is self-propelling or the effect of which extends above fifteen feet (15') in height from the ground; or any article which produces a report by combustion, explosion or detonation.

Fireworks that fall in the safe and sane fireworks firework category are permitted for sale and use.

• Safe and sane fireworks means all fireworks that have no report, that are not self-propelling and the effect of which does not extend above fifteen feet (15') in height from the ground, including the following:
  • Snakes, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed twenty (20) grams each in weight;
  • Smoke devices and spray balls, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed twenty-five (25) grams each in weight;
  • Wheels, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed sixty (60) grams in weight per driver unit, but any number of drivers may be on any one wheel. The inside bore of driver tubes shall not be over one-half inch (1/2");
  • Illuminating torches and colored fire in any form, total pyrotechnic composition of illuminating torches not to exceed one hundred (100) grams each in weight;
  • Sparklers and dipped sticks, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed one hundred (100) gains in weight. Pyrotechnic composition containing any chlorate or perchlorate shall not exceed five (5) grams;
  • Cylindrical fountains, total pyrotechnic composition not to exceed seventy-five (75) grams each in weight. 'Me inside tube diameter shall not exceed three-fourths inch (3/4");
  • Railway fuses, fuses, truck flares, hardship distress signals, smoke candles, smoke signals and smoke pots; and
  • All other fireworks similar to the above provided they are tested and approved by the chief of the fire department.

The City of Santa Fe Fire Department has the authority to impose additional fire restrictions as per the International Fire Code® as adopted by § 12-2.1 of the Santa Fe City Code (SFCC). Penalties for violating these restrictions may include fines up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail as specified in SFCC 1-3.1(A).