With the dangerous fire conditions across the state of Colorado there are many different counties under different bans and restrictions.
It is important for everyone to check for restrictions before heading to a different county or before taking part in outdoor activities.
Click here to be taken to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control website. There you can check for restrictions by county and also find information about current wildfires as well as fire preparedness and mitigation.
Currently, unincorporated areas of El Paso County are under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions.
This means:
- All open fire & open burning is banned
- Sale/use of fireworks is banned
- Outdoor smoking is banned except within an enclosed vehicle or building
Click here to read the entire El Paso County Ordinance #15-001 which breaks down all of the different stages of fire restrictions. Under Stage 2, those found in violation can face a one thousand dollar fine.
Pueblo County is not currently under fire or burn bans, however after the double fork fire broke out near the town of Boone earlier this month, Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor urged residents not to burn at all on red flag warning days and to be cautious in conducting controlled burns, having open flames and with extinguishing cigarettes or other smoking materials.
Douglas County is under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions which bans:
- Open burning of any kind
- Use of fireworks
Allowed under Stage 1:
- 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
Violation of the Douglas County fire restriction is punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars.
Teller County is also under Stage 1 Fire Ban.
These are the activities prohibited under that ban:
- Burning of all materials not contained in an outdoor fireplace or permanent fire ring
- Use of any explosives (except for permitted mining operations)
- Use of fireworks (except commercial fire works within city limits)
- Firing of model rockets
- Burning of irrigation ditches unless completely surrounded by irrigated farmlands where burning is necessary for crop survival
