Mesa County Public Health has issued a No Open Burning Air Watch Alert for Mesa County, including agricultural burns, for Monday, May 15.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for gusty winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures Monday. The combination of these conditions means fires will have the potential to grow and spread rapidly.
Winds are expected to be between 15 and 25 mph with gusts of up to 40 mph. Gusty winds have the potential to spread fire quickly and can push smoke into neighborhoods, negatively affecting the health of residents.
Keep in mind, if your open burn becomes out of control and causes damage on a property that you don’t own, you could face civil and criminal charges.
Instead of burning, consider these alternatives:
- Take yard waste to the Mesa County Organic Materials composting facility at Mesa County Solid Waste, 3071 U.S. Hwy. 50. The facility accepts material for composting at no charge and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday. For more information, call (970) 263-9319.
- Compost leaves and grass clippings yourself. This can improve water retention in your yard or garden.
- Rent or borrow a wood chipper for your tree and shrub trimmings. Chipped branches can also be good mulch.
Our Air Quality Team will monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.