Frequently Asked Questions

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Questions beginning with W:

What is agricultural burning?

Agricultural burning is defined as the open burning of cover vegetation for the purpose of preparing soil for crop production, weed control, maintenance of water conveyance structures related to agricultural operations, and other agricultural purposes. Living in an area zoned for agricultural, having water rights, or living out of city limits does not automatically qualify a property for agricultural burning. Permits for open burning are required. Certain areas are within the prohibited burn area and no permits will be issued. Poudre Fire Authority Fire Prevention adheres to Colorado State Statute and Larimer County Burning Regulations.

What is the distance needed between a fire hydrant and plants/shrubs?

Thirty-six (36) inches.

What is the phone number to my fire station?

Phone numbers to stations are not given to the public. If you need to contact someone at a fire station call Administration at 970-221-6570 and they will transfer you to the appropriate station.

What's the closest fire station to my home?

Click on this link to find the fire station closest to your home: STATIONS.

Where can I get my fire extinguisher recharged?

Contact a private company, found in the yellow pages of the phone book under “Fire Extinguishers.”

Where can I purchase flame retardant spray?

Ace Hardware, Work Fitters, or your local nursery.

Where can I send my child when they have been caught or I suspect they are playing with fire?

Contact Assistant Fire Marshal for Investigations at 970-219-5313 or send us an email to INVESTIGATIONS.

Where do I go to get a burn permit?

At the Fire Prevention Bureau located in the Poudre Fire Authority Administration building at 102 Remington Street. The building is on the west side of the Old Town parking structure. The Fire Prevention Bureau is on the first floor. Burn permit applications are available Monday-Wednesday. All burn permits require a site inspection. Typically it can take 4-10 days to obtain a permit after the application is submitted.

Why do we have to bring another set of plans for review to the fire department?

Two copies of your plans are required so that one is returned to the contractor and one is kept for our records. The fire department review is from a different perspective than that of the Building Department’s. The Building Department review of you plans is conducted in accordance the Uniform Building Code, while Poudre Fire Authority checks the plans for requirements of the Uniform Fire Code. The Building Department for the City and the County are in two different buildings, and the fire department is yet at another location.

Why does Poudre Fire Authority take longer to review my plans than any other city fire department?

The Poudre Fire Authority’s plan review target time is about 2 weeks. However, if the plan reviewer finds issues with the review, the contractor may have to correct and resubmit the plans for final approval. The PFA receives plans from both the City’s and the County’s processes. We have a technical staff of four doing that totality of work. While the City and County have distinct staff for reviews and for inspections, the PFA technical staff conducts the reviews for the development community, and also does the associated inspections to release the permits for the contractors. We have 2 days scheduled in the office for plan review and 3 days scheduled for inspections.

Why does the ditch company burn the irrigation ditches every year?

Irrigation systems, including the ditches, are run by gravity. If the ditches are not burned, the vegetation along the banks creates friction in the water flow, making it impossible for the water to flow freely into the fields. Vegetation can also take water out of the ditch, reducing the water needed for crops.

Why does the fire department collect city taxes? Doesn’t the general contractor pay the tax when he

These are two separate permit processes. PFA collects taxes on fire protection system permits and associated building site reviews. The general contractor pays taxes to acquire the building permit. At the close out of the job, the general contactor will fill out a job cost analysis form. If there is an overpayment of taxes the contractor is reimbursed by the city, however, if not enough taxes have been paid the contractor will have to pay the difference. The cost analysis form can be found on the City of Fort Collins web page at http://www.fcgov.com.

Why isn’t there more consistency between fire districts?

Each fire district is governed by either a fire board or a city council. Each fire district or department adopts the fire code necessary for the safety of the community is serves. There are significant issues that make each jurisdiction different, such as the size of the district, whether it is mostly rural or urban, does it have technical staff, is it paid or volunteer, is there a strong water supply. Some fire districts have adopted the new International Fire Code while others have chosen to stay with the Uniform Fire Code. Poudre Fire Authority is currently enforcing the International Fire Code.

The fire service strives to work together understanding those differences; while at the same time we are committed to assisting each other by gathering together to understand regional issues. PFA leadership is part of such organizations as the Northern Colorado Fire Marshal’s Association and the Fire Marshal’s Association of Colorado. Together we are working on consistent amendments involving fire containment, fire sprinkler requirements an other items like fire works and safe cigarettes.