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Pinetop Lakeside tightens red-flag burning rules; council adopts ordinance
Summary
The council adopted Ordinance No. 25-4-84 amending town code Title 8, Chapter 8.04 to align local outdoor-burning restrictions with partner agencies and to remove recreational campfire exemptions during red-flag warnings.
The Pinetop Lakeside Town Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance No. 25-4-84, amending town code Title 8, Chapter 8.04 (fire restrictions and outdoor burning) and directing staff to remove a recreational-fire exemption during National Weather Service red-flag warnings.
Chief Dan Barnes presented the proposed amendments and said staff sought closer alignment with partner agencies so the public receives consistent messaging during fire-restriction periods. "Staff over the last couple of seasons has been concerned about our ordinance not aligning with our partner agencies in the area," Chief Barnes said. The amendments touch most sections of Title 8, including violations and general restrictions.
During discussion, the vice mayor asked why the draft allowed "campfires and charcoal fires" for recreational purposes during red-flag warnings, saying, "I just question why we on a red flag warning, we would allow any campfires, especially for recreational purposes." Chief Barnes said he had conferred with the Navajo County emergency manager, who retained that exemption in the county ordinance, but he recommended removing recreational fires from the town ordinance to ease enforcement. Councilor Heisler moved to adopt the ordinance with the chief's proposed changes: remove recreational fires from the red-flag exemption and correct textual errors identified by staff. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
The ordinance amends sections 8.04.01 through 8.04.09 and specifically addresses 8.04.03 (general fire restrictions). As discussed, the council directed staff to change the draft language so that a permitted area "is barren or cleared of all debris" and to reorder the sentence for clarity. The change to remove recreational fires during red-flag warnings was adopted as a town-level stricter restriction than that retained by the county. The town will publish the revised code and coordinated public messaging before the next high-fire season.
