Even as two major blazes in southwestern Colorado were declared contained, fire restrictions were placed on all federal lands within the state because of the continued high wildfire danger and the shortage of firefighting resources.

The Pony Fire, which burned some 5,240 acres in and near Mesa Verde National Park, and the Hamilton Fire 16 miles south of Naturita both have been declared 100 percent contained.

Containment for the Pony Fire came Friday night, while the Hamilton Fire was pronounced 100 percent contained Monday. It had burned more than 3,150 acres of piñon-juniper and sagebrush after being sparked by lightning last week.

Lightning storms passed through the Four Corners area over the weekend, and the forecast for southwesern Colorado calls for more of the same. Because of the continuing fire danger, the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have announced fire restrictions on all federal lands in Colorado.

Much of the public land in the state has been under some form of fire restriction this summer; the statewide restriction makes the prohibition uniform.

"This was done by the heads of the agencies, meeting in Denver," said Ann Bond, public information officer for the San Juan National Forest and San Juan Field Office.

"The belief was it would be less confusing to the public, because we have extreme fire danger across the state."

The restriction covers 23.5 million acres, and includes the San Juan National Forest and San Juan Field Office-BLM lands of southwestern Colorado. Previously fires had been allowed in those areas within fire grates in developed campgrounds and in the Lizard Head and Weeminuche wilderness areas, but such fires are no longer permitted, Bond said.

Effective immediately, the following are prohibited everywhere on these public lands:

• Open campfires and charcoal fires;

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building;

• Operating a chainsaw or off-highway vehicle without an approved spark-arresting device;

• Using a welder or operating an acetylene torch;

• Using any type of fireworks.

Anyone operating a chainsaw or OHV, even with a spark-arrestor, is urged to carry a fire extinguisher and shovel.

"We have reached a turning point in an unprecedented fire season where firefighting needs have exceeded available resources. We cannot afford a human-caused fire in Colorado," said BLM State Director Ann Morgan.