The Summit County Sheriff’s Office and Breckenridge Ski Patrol detonated an unexploded avalanche control device near Peak 7 on U.S. Forest Service land Thursday morning. The sheriff’s office was notified of the device, which is used as an explosive charge to trigger controlled avalanches in the winter, on Wednesday afternoon.
Despite a strict Stage 1 Fire Restriction in place prohibiting the use of any explosives, the sheriff’s office, in cooperation with Chief Jim Keating of the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District and Bill Jackson of the Forest Service, decided detonating the device was the safest action.
“In the interest of public safety, this is the best course of action as it could be highly dangerous to move the found explosive or have it found by another backcountry user,” said Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons. “This is a good time to remind backcountry users that explosives can be found on occasion and suspicious items should be left and immediately reported to the sheriff’s office.”
