Fire restrictions and fire bans have been enacted in several cities and counties around Colorado.
Arapahoe County
Effective immediately, the Arapahoe County Sheriff has issued a ban on all open fires and open burning within Unincorporated Arapahoe County, to include the Cherry Creek State Park and the City of Centennial. Read more here.
Boulder County
A fire ban has been enacted in Boulder County. Open burning and the sale and use of fireworks are prohibited in ALL of unincorporated Boulder County. Read more here.
Clear Creek County
Clear Creek County is under stage 1 fire restrictions. Read more here.
Douglas County
Stage 1 fire restrictions are now in place, restricting open fires, open burning and the use of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Douglas County.
The restrictions prohibit open burning of any kind and the use of fireworks.
Allowable activities include"
- Fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves, fireplaces within buildings, charcoal grill fires within developed residential or commercial areas, and fires within wood burning stoves within buildings only.
- Professional fireworks displays permitted according to section 12-28-103 of the C.R.S.
- Fire suppression or fire department training fires.
- Small recreational fires at developed picnic or campground sites contained in fixed permanent metal/steel fire pits (rock fire rings are considered temporary and not permanent) with flame lengths not in excess of four feet or the residential use of charcoal grills, tiki torches, fires in chimineas or other portable fireplaces or patio fire pits, so long as said fires are supervised by a responsible person at least 18 years of age
Elbert County
Elbert County's website details its burn restrictions.
Gilpin County
The Gilpin County Sheriff's Office has instituted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for Gilpin County. Read more here.
Golden
The City of Golden has instituted a temporary stage 1 fire restriction. Stage 1 fire restrictions:
- Building, maintaining, attending or using any fire or recreational campfire, except a recreational fire within a permanently constructed fire grate in a developed park, campground, private residence or picnic area. (NOTE: For permitted private residential recreational campfires, citizens are strongly encouraged to contact the Golden Fire Department dispatch center at 303-384-8045 to advise of start and finish times to alleviate smoke check responses.)
- Smoking at a recreation site, or while stopped in an area of at least six feet diameter that is barren or cleared of all combustible material.
- Open Fire and Open Burning, including “bon fires” that require a permit from the Golden Fire Department. (NOTE: Burn permits issued and not executed prior to the effective date of these temporary fire restrictions shall not be authorized unless approved by the Golden Fire Department on the day of execution.)
Exemptions approved under temporary Stage 1 fire restrictions:
- Use of liquid or gas fueled appliances
- Approved wood pellet grills
- Charcoal barbeque grills not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area
- Portable outdoor fireplaces not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area
- Welding and cutting torch appliances may only be operated in an area no closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area.
- Recreational fires not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area
- Permitted fires by persons with a permit specifically authorizing the prohibited act such as professional fireworks displays. Contact must be made with the Golden Fire Department to verify the status of permits issued prior to the establishment of burn restrictions.
- Fire Department/District training fires
- Open fires or open burning by any federal, state, or local officer in the performance of official fire suppression functions
Huerfano County
A stage two fire ban has been issued for Huerfano County and will be in effect as of Tuesday.
The following acts are prohibited on public and private lands, roads, and trails described herein, until further notice:
- Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire. EXCEPTION: (1) propane grills are allowed if the grill can be turned off with a knob or the flip of a switch (2) if fire is a requirement to do business (e.g. a barbecue restaurant), then said business shall be requested to meet mitigation guidelines commensurate with the size and location of fire and the level of fire restriction enacted.
- Trash/refuse burning of any kind, even in burn barrels with approved screening.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
- Operating a chainsaw or motorized equipment for any purpose.
- Blasting, welding, or other activities which generate flame or flammable material.
Jefferson County
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office enacted Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for all of unincorporated Jefferson County.
The following activities are prohibited pursuant to Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:
- Building, maintaining, attending or using any fire or recreational campfire, except a recreational fire within a permanently constructed fire grate in a developed park, campground, private residence, or picnic area. NOTE: Private residential recreational campfires exempted as described above, are encouraged to contact their local fire agency and advise start and finish times to alleviate smoke check responses.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area of at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all combustible material. (2009 IFC 320.8).
- Open burning including “bon fires” that require a permit from the fire authority having jurisdiction, will not be allowed during these restrictions. (2009 IFC 105.6.30).
- The use of fireworks are prohibited within unincorporated Jefferson County.
Exemptions approved under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:
- Use of liquid or gas fueled appliances.
- Approved wood pellet grills.
- Charcoal barbeque grills at private residences or within a permanently constructed grate in a developed park, campground, or picnic area and not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2009 IFC 308.1.6).
- Portable outdoor fireplaces, Tiki torches, chimineas and fire pits at private residence or in a developed park, campground, or picnic area and not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2009 IFC 307.4.3).
- Welding and cutting torch appliances, as described above in the definition section, may only be operated in an area no closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2009 IFC 308.1.6).
- Recreational fires not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area. (2009 IFC 307.4.2).
- Permitted fires by persons with a permit specifically authorizing the prohibited act such as professional fireworks displays.
- Fire department / district training fires.
- Burning of explosive wastes by manufacturer of explosives in areas zoned for industrial use, when the burning is supervised by the fire protection district.
- Open fires or open burning by any federal, state, or local officer in the performance of official fire suppression functions.
Lafayette
The Lafayette Fire Department has declared an open fire ban within Lafayette City limits to broaden the existing fire ban on unincorporated Boulder County land.
Fireworks and open fire pits are prohibited in Lafayette until further notice. Covered barbeque grills, chimeneas, and covered residential fire pits operated on concrete are allowed.
Lakewood
Lakewood has issued fire restrictions starting today for Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park, Thunder Valley Motocross Park and William Frederick Hayden Park on Green Mountain. Read more here.
Larimer County
Larimer County enacted fire restrictions Tuesday. That means:
- No open fires, including camp or cooking fires.
- Smoking in the open is not allowed, including trails, parks and open spaces.
- No fireworks or firework displays.
- No incendiary devices, including sky lanterns, exploding ammunition, exploding targets, and tracer ammunition.
- No welding
Not Restricted:
- Contained open fires in permanently constructed stationary masonry or metal fireplaces specifically designed for the purpose of combustion
- The use of internal or external combustion engine with a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order and meeting published standards.
- Fireplaces or wood stoves located inside permanent structures.
- Fires in commercially operated wood and/or charcoal fired grills designed for cooking.
- Charcoal fired grills when used at a private residence and location on a non-combustible surface of at lease ten feet in diameter.
- Fires such as those in camp stoves and grills using gas or pressurized liquid.
- Welding and other torch work within an enclosed building.
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland
Stage I Fire Restriction are in effect for the Boulder, Canyon Lakes and Clear Creek Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Additionally a restriction on discharging a firearm on National Forest System lands in Boulder County was put in place in support of the Cold Springs Fire operations.
The Stage 1 fire restrictions ban:
- Fires and use charcoal, coal, or wood stoves, except within a developed recreation site (e.g., campgrounds where fees are charged).
- Explosives, including fireworks.
- Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while in an area at least three feet in diameter cleared of all flammable materials.
- Motor vehicle use off National Forest System roads, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within ten feet of the roadway or parking overnight in a developed campground or trailhead.
- Welding and operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
- Any internal or external combustion engine (including chainsaws) without a spark arresting devise properly working.
The shooting order restricts discharging a firearm on National Forest System lands in Boulder County. These restrictions were put in place to support the fire operation efforts on the Cold Springs Fire. Any person possessing a valid Colorado hunting license lawfully involved in hunting and harvesting game is exempt from the shooting restriction.
