Adams County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Adams County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Adams 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 Adams 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 Adams 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.
Adams County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-10-512. To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is (303) 654-1850.
Do Adams County restrictions apply on federal land?
Adams County's order does not address federal land, so a county restriction may apply on federal ground within the county — verify with the sheriff or the managing agency. Federal agencies (USFS, BLM, NPS) also set their own rules on their land.
Official Adams County sources
Fire protection districts in Adams 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.
- Adams County FPD
- Greater Brighton FPD
- North Metro Fire Rescue District
- South Adams County FPD
- Strasburg FPD No. 8
Federal & state lands overlapping Adams County
These agencies set their own fire restrictions on the lands they manage inside the county — independent of any county order:
- Colorado State Parks: Barr Lake State Park
Adams County fire-restriction rules by stage
Stage I Fire Restrictions (Stage 1)
Prohibited:
- open burning of any kind (outside the listed exceptions)
- use of fireworks
Allowed:
- fires within liquid-fueled or gas-fueled stoves
- fireplaces within buildings; fires within wood-burning stoves within buildings
- charcoal grill fires within developed residential or commercial areas
- residential use of charcoal grills, tiki torches, chimineas, portable fireplaces, or patio fire pits (supervised by a responsible person 18+)
- small recreational fires at developed picnic or campground sites in fixed permanent metal/steel fire pits (flame length under 4 ft; rock rings are not permanent)
- professional fireworks displays permitted under C.R.S. 12-28-103
- fire suppression or fire department training fires
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
The county's Stage 1 order allows residential fires in chimineas, portable fireplaces, and patio fire pits (heating devices) supervised by an adult — recreational propane fire pits are permitted at Stage 1.
Source: ACSO Stage 1 order text (sheriff fire-restrictions page)
Stage II Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- all fires, campfires, coal or wood burning stoves, charcoal fueled broilers or open fires of any type
- smoking except within enclosed vehicle or building
- fireworks or explosives
- welding with open flame
- internal combustion engines without spark arrestor
Allowed:
- mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas with valve
Propane fire pits: not permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Stage II exempts 'mechanical stoves and appliances fueled by bottled or liquid gas' with a control valve — cooking-device phrasing (same as Kiowa, ruled not-permitted); propane fire pits not permitted at Stage II.
Source: Colorado Burn Ban Level Definitions PDF (ACSO standing reference)
Stage III Fire Restrictions (Closure)
Prohibited:
- public land access (Stage III fire restrictions involve closure of public lands)
Source: Stage III = closure of public lands per ACSO definitions PDF
No Fire Restrictions (Normal conditions (no restrictions declared))
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Rules content verified against primary sources on 2026-07-04.
Rules apply as written in each order — the county's current order always controls. This page never shows live status; check the live map for what is in effect right now.
Exact rules vary by jurisdiction and by order — the map's popup links the official order for Adams County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.