Roosevelt County Commission approves publication of notice to adopt 'Red Flag' open burn ban ordinance

The Roosevelt County Commission on March 3 unanimously approved publication of a Notice of Intent to Adopt Ordinance 2026-01, a "Red Flag" open burn ban that would be enforced only while the National Weather Service has an active Red Flag Warning.

County Manager Meadow Forget told the commission the measure is aimed at preventing wildfires caused by intentional burning and said it "is actually less restrictive than other burn bans as it is only in effect when there is a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service." Commissioner Roy Lee Criswell moved to publish the notice with a second from Commissioner Fabian Munoz; the motion passed 4-0 (Commissioner Grider absent).

The action approved publication of the notice of intent, a procedural step that begins the formal ordinance process and permits public notice and a future adoption hearing. The commission did not take final action to adopt the ordinance on March 3; a subsequent meeting will be required for final adoption after the required public-notice period.

Manager Forget and commissioners characterized the proposed ordinance as narrowly targeted to high-fire-risk periods rather than an all-season burn prohibition. The motion to publish does not change enforcement details or penalties; those would be included in the full ordinance text when the adoption hearing is scheduled.

At the close of the meeting the commission provided no calendar date for a final adoption vote; publication of the notice starts the statutory process required by the county to move the ordinance forward.