City of Boulder to close all Open Space and Mountain Parks property Friday, Dec. 19

BOULDER, Colo. - In addition to the facility closures already announced, the City of Boulder will close access to all city-owned Open Space and Mountain Parks property from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 as a fire prevention and visitor safety measure. This includes all trails and trailheads.

The National Weather Service has issued an unprecedented forecastthat includes dangerously high winds and especially extreme fire conditions. They've cautioned that any ignition is likely to develop into a fast-moving blaze. Flying debris and downed limbs and trees will pose significant safety concerns.

The city and surrounding areas are already recovering from widespread power outages and damage from Wednesday's serious wind event.

"This is a precautionary measure to protect lives and property as we face what we have been told will be a particularly dangerous situation and fraught day," said City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. "We know how fundamental access to nature and open space is to our community, and we've not made this decision lightly. We appreciate the public's patience and understanding."

The city and county Emergency Operations Center continues to be activated. Be sure you are signed up to receive urgent emergency alerts from police or fire officials at www.bocoalert.org. Additional helpful public safety information is available on the Office of Disaster Management's website. You can also sign up to receive this information on your phone by texting BOCOinfo to 888777.

If you wish to receive alerts and safety information in a language other than English, please download the Reachwell app on your phone. You will have an option to select the language that works best for you. It is important that you select two separate categories - BOCOalert and BOCOinfo - to ensure you receive all messages during an emergency. The city also encourages you to turn on audible notifications within the app so you will be made aware when new messages are available.

The following are some important safety tips:

• There will be no open burning permitted; this includes agricultural burning.
• Do not burn anything outdoors or conduct spark-producing activities.
• Public safety officials are asking people to stay off the roads tomorrow so they can focus their response on emergencies. If you must travel, treat any intersection without powered traffic lights as a four-way stop and assume any downed power lines are energized.
• Follow public health guidance on food safety during power outages.
• Stay away from damaged lines, trees, and equipment.
• Only use 911 for emergencies; contact the call center tomorrow for other questions. Call center hours will be posted on www.boulderodm.gov. The number is 303-413-7730.
• Have an evacuation plan ready - know what modes of transportation you could take, have them fueled/powered up, know your routes, and what essential or irreplaceable items you would need to take with you.
• If you typically keep your vehicle in a garage, make sure you know how to open your garage when the power is out (red pull tab, then you must be able to manually open the door), or consider parking your vehicle outside.