Rangers investigate illegal fireworks show on Colorado peak

DENVER – The U.S. Forest Service is investigating an illegal fireworks display on the summit of one of Colorado’s highest mountains over the Labor Day weekend.

The agency says the fireworks were ignited early Monday atop Mount Evans, the state’s 14th tallest at 14,264 feet (4,348 metres) above sea level. Colorado has more than 50 peaks above 14,000 feet (4,267 metres).

Mount Evans is in the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forest, where fireworks are illegal. The Forest Service says fireworks can ignite wildfires, injure wildlife and damage fragile, high-elevation ecosystems.

A paved road leads to the summit, which is about a 60-mile (97-kilometre) drive from downtown Denver. The Forest Service says about 140 people were on the summit for the display, and that the outing was organized on social media.

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This story has been corrected to show the fireworks were ignited early Monday, not Sunday.

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Information from: KCNC-TV, http://www.cbsdenver.com