Wildfire safeguards approved by Colorado Senate
Posted: 02.27.2013 at 4:13 PM
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DENVER (AP) -- New safeguards to prevent state-set fires from going out of control have won unanimous approval in the state Senate.

The Senate voted 34-0 without debate Thursday in favor of a set of new safety curbs on prescribed burns on state forest land. The safeguards include a new requirement that people attend the fire as long as it's burning, along with a requirement that nearby residents are alerted to planned burns.

The prescribed burn bill is a reaction to last March's deadly Lower North Fork Fire in the foothills west of Denver. That blaze killed three and was caused by a prescribed burn intended to keep the forest healthy.

The wildfire measure now heads to the House.

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Online:

Senate Bill 83: http://bit.ly/13l2eNH

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