Silver City enacts stage-one fire restrictions as March heat and wind raise danger

The Silver City Fire Department told the Town Council on March 24 that the town would enter stage-one fire restrictions effective at midnight because of unusually hot, dry and windy conditions.

"There is a present state of fire danger in this county. It is extremely dry. The winds are picking up," the department representative Milo told the council, and recommended that the town align with county and U.S. Forest Service restrictions already in place. He said the stage-one rules ban building or maintaining campfires and prohibit open burning of yard waste, tree limbs and weeds within town limits.

Milo clarified allowed activities and conditions: UL-approved gas or propane grills may be used if they have a cover and lid; outdoor wood- or charcoal-burning devices must have protective screens and prior approval from the Silver City Fire Department; underground fire pits used for meal preparation must have appropriate covers, a 5‑foot clearance and a special permit from the fire department. He said the town will keep restrictions in effect until conditions improve and warned they could become more restrictive if fire weather worsens.

Councilors asked operational clarifying questions — for example, a council member asked about safe distances for propane grills, and Milo advised a 10-foot clearance from structures. Milo also recommended the Watch Duty app (watchduty.org) as a supplemental wildland-fire information source the department uses.

The council adopted the fire-safety recommendation for stage-one restrictions; the transcript records the department's guidance but does not show a separate formal vote captured for the restriction item beyond the department's presentation and council acceptance.