Boulder County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Boulder County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Boulder County sources continuously and shows the current restriction status — alongside overlapping federal, state, and fire-district restrictions — on one color-coded map. Fire restrictions change quickly during Colorado's fire season, so always check the live map or the county's official channels before lighting any fire.
Who issues fire restrictions in Boulder County?
In Colorado, county-level fire restrictions for unincorporated areas are typically enacted by the Board of County Commissioners or the County Sheriff under C.R.S. §30-15-401 and §30-10-512/513. Within Boulder County, separate authorities can impose their own rules at the same time: fire protection districts (under C.R.S. Title 32), the U.S. Forest Service and BLM on federal land, Colorado Parks & Wildlife in state parks, and municipalities inside their town limits. That's why one spot on the map can carry several overlapping restrictions — BurnBound shows each one separately.
Boulder County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-15-401. To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is 303-441-4500.
Official Boulder County sources
Fire protection districts in Boulder County
Every Colorado fire protection district can set its own fire restrictions independently of the county (C.R.S. Title 32) — most align with the county, but always check the district covering your exact location on the live map.
- Allenspark FPD
- Boulder Mountain FPD
- Boulder Rural FPD
- Four Mile FPD (Boulder)
- Gold Hill FPD
- Hygiene FPD
- Indian Peaks FPD
- Lafayette Rural FPD
- Lefthand FPD
- Louisville FPD
- Mountain View FPD
- Nederland FPD
- Sugar Loaf FPD
- Sunshine FPD
Federal & state lands overlapping Boulder County
These agencies set their own fire restrictions on the lands they manage inside the county — independent of any county order:
- Bureau of Land Management: Royal Gorge Field Office
- National Park Service: Rocky Mountain National Park
- U.S. Forest Service: Boulder Ranger District, Canyon Lakes Ranger District, Sulphur Ranger District
What the stages generally mean
- Stage 1 — open burning restricted; campfires usually only in developed rings; check local rules for smoking and equipment.
- Stage 2 — most open flames prohibited, including campfires in developed rings; propane devices with shutoff valves are often (not always) still allowed.
- Stage 3 / closure — area closures; entry itself may be prohibited.
Exact rules vary by jurisdiction and by order — the map's popup links the official order for Boulder County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.