Fire and Burn Bans

Wildfire Prevention Starts with You

Respect fire bans and follow these safety guidelines to do your part to prevent wildfires.

For the most up to date information on Boulder County Fire Bans, please follow this link: https://www.bouldercounty.org/safety/fire/fire-restrictions/

For the most up to date information on Larimer County Fire Bans, please follow this link: https://www.larimer.org/emergency/mitigating-against-hazards/larimer-county-fire-restrictions-ban

Fire Bans and Burn Restrictions are issued by the county, city or federal land management agency (BLM, USFS) during times of dangerous fire conditions. Generally, a fire ban prohibits open burning, but specific prohibitions can vary by jurisdiction and should be checked. Restrictions may apply to: open burning, burn permits, prescribed burns, campfires, fire pits, fireworks, charcoal grills, smoking, and work that produces sparks such as welding and chainsaw use.

RED FLAG Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or imminent. Red Flag Warning is a forecast issued by the US Weather Service to inform area firefighting and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fire ignition and propagation. Red Flag Warnings may be issued after drought conditions, when humidity is very low, during storms with dry lightning, and especially during high or erratic wind conditions. Red Flag Warning is a critical statement for firefighting agencies, which often alter their staffing and equipment resources dramatically to accommodate the forecast risk. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of a quickly spreading vegetation fire within 24 hours.

Fire Weather Watch is issued to alert fire and land management agencies to the possibility that Red Flag conditions may exist beyond the first forecast period (12 hours). The watch is issued generally 12 to 48 hours in advance of the expected conditions, but can be issued up to 72 hours in advance.

Burn Safety

  • Contact the Lyons Fire Protection District at (303) 823-6611 extension 148 to alert the on duty firefighters before commencing your burn.

  • Pile debris in open areas away from standing timber and structures.

  • Piles should be no larger than 8 feet wide and 6 feet high.

  • There must be a minimum of 4-6 inches of snow cover around piles.

  • Winds should be less than 10 mph. Check the weather forecast to avoid burning during high winds or extremely dry conditions.

  • Always have water, a rake, and a shovel available.

  • Attend all fires until completely out.

  • All burning must be extinguished by nightfall.

COLORADO OPEN BURN FORECAST: For those with permits for Open Burning, check the web page listed at the end of this Appendix to find out if open burning is allowed that day.

Residential Burning in Colorado

Residential burning pertains to operating wood burning systems and appliances including stoves, fireplaces and heaters in a residence. During the winter high pollution season (November through March) if an air quality Action Day is currently in effect, residential burning is restricted in the seven-county Denver-metro area, including Denver, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas, Jefferson, and areas west of Kiowa Creek in Adams and Arapahoe counties. The only exceptions to the residential burning restrictions are for people living above 7,000 feet; those who use Colorado Phase III (Phase II EPA) certified stoves, Colorado approved pellet stoves, approved masonry heaters or those whose stoves or fireplaces are their primary source of heat. Residents are also asked to voluntarily limit driving on Action Days. On days that are not air quality Action Days, no restrictions are in place.

Outdoor Recreation Fire Safety

  • Be aware of fire risks and take responsibility for your use of fire.

  • Before you leave home, check with authorities at your camping location for fire restrictions. During especially dry seasons, even recreational and cooking fires can be restricted.

  • Be careful with campfires - only build fires in rings or grates. Avoid areas with overhanging branches, steep slopes and dry grasses.

  • Maintain a safety zone around a campfire and always closely supervise children. Teach them to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches on fire.

  • Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby to put out the fire. When extinguishing a campfire, drown it with water and stir with water and dirt until all the ashes are cold.

  • Use self-contained cookers or chemical stoves instead of campfires for cooking.

  • Keep hot mufflers and catalytic converters clear of grasses and shrubs.

  • Think about how you would evacuate in the event of a wildfire. Plan the routes you could take, including at least one alternate route, in case your primary route is blocked.

Wildfire Mitigation

If you’d like to learn more about how to take care of your property in response to wildfire threat, please consider visiting these sites:

For Boulder County: https://wildfirepartners.org/

For Larimer County: https://csfs.colostate.edu/wildfire-mitigation/

Nationally: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire

Also, you are welcome to contact us to request a brief walk through wildfire assessment for your property at publicinfo@lyonsfire.org