Gilpin County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Gilpin County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Gilpin 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 Gilpin 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 Gilpin 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.
Gilpin County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-15-401(1)(n.5). To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is 303-582-5511.
Do Gilpin County restrictions apply on federal land?
Gilpin 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 Gilpin County sources
Fire protection districts in Gilpin 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.
Federal & state lands overlapping Gilpin County
These agencies set their own fire restrictions on the lands they manage inside the county — independent of any county order:
- Colorado State Parks: Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- U.S. Forest Service: Boulder Ranger District, Clear Creek Ranger District
Gilpin County fire-restriction rules by stage
Gilpin County publishes its restriction rules inside each order when one is issued — there is no standing rules page. The details below come from the most recent verified order; always check the current order text.
Stage I Fire Restrictions (Stage 1)
Prohibited:
- fires using wood, logs, briquettes, pellets, or charcoal (unenclosed)
- fireworks (sale, use, and possession)
- recreational firearms discharge (hunting with license exempted)
- smoking on public land except at USFS sites or cleared areas
- open burning including grassland/forest management burns
Allowed:
- gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel devices with shut-off valve (3-foot clearance)
- enclosed wood/charcoal device with 1/4-inch spark arrester screen (10-foot clearance)
- fires in USFS or CPW permanent metal/concrete fire grates at developed sites
- recreational fires on private property in fire pits (3-foot diameter, 3-foot clearance)
- smoking on private property or in enclosed vehicles/buildings
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Stage 1 Exhibit A (rev. 2025-07-22) — stored content verified nearly verbatim
Stage II Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- all open burning including recreational fires, bonfires, slash piles, charcoal grills
- smoking except in enclosed vehicles or buildings
- recreational firearms on public/private lands
- fireworks, blasting caps, incendiary devices
- blasting, welding, grinding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame (no exception at Stage 2)
- parking or driving a motor vehicle off established roads where vegetation may contact the underside of the vehicle (exception: private property)
Allowed:
- gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel devices with functional shut-off valve in a 3-foot cleared area (county definition of liquid/gas fueled appliances includes fire pits, grills, camp stoves, and tiki torches)
- chainsaws/gas equipment with USDA or SAE spark arrester plus stored-pressure extinguisher and 35-inch round point shovel
- hunting with valid license
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Stage 2 Exhibit A excepts gas/jellied-petroleum/pressurized-liquid-fuel devices with a functional shut-off valve in a 3-ft cleared area; the county's own definitions name fire pits, grills, camp stoves, and tiki torches as liquid/gas fueled appliances
Source: Stage 2 Exhibit A (rev. 2026-03-30), linked from the live 2026-06-29 Stage 2 order
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 Gilpin County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.