La Plata County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current La Plata County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official La Plata 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 La Plata 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 La Plata 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.
La Plata 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 970-385-2900.
Do La Plata County restrictions apply on federal land?
La Plata County's fire restrictions do not extend to federal lands within the county. On federal land, the managing agency (USFS, BLM, or NPS) sets the rules.
Official La Plata County sources
Fire protection districts in La Plata 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 La Plata 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: Tres Rios Field Office
- U.S. Forest Service: Columbine Ranger District, Mancos/Dolores Ranger District
La Plata County fire-restriction rules by stage
La Plata 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:
- open burning, burn barrels, and agricultural burning (except limited agricultural burning per C.R.S. 30-15-401(n.5)(III))
- campfires on undeveloped or public lands
- fireworks and explosive materials
- floating sky lanterns, fire balloons or acetylene balloons
- smoking outdoors except in cleared areas
- welding without 10-foot safe zone and extinguisher
Allowed:
- fires in a permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate in developed recreation sites (campgrounds and picnic areas), or a metal or concrete fire pit on developed private property
- charcoal or gas barbecue grills in areas cleared of flammable materials within 3 feet
- smoking within an enclosed vehicle/building or a 3-foot cleared area
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Stage I sheriff order eff. 5/22/2026 (transient CMS URL — do not pin as rules link)
Stage II Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- all fires including campfires, charcoal grills, coal/wood stoves
- all open and agricultural burning
- fireworks, blasting caps, incendiary devices
- internal combustion engines (chainsaws, generators, ATVs) without spark-arresting devices
- smoking outdoors except in cleared areas
Allowed:
- gas stoves and devices using pressurized liquid or gas with a shut-off valve (such as a gas grill)
- smoking in enclosed vehicle/trailer/building or 3-foot cleared area
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Source: Stage II sheriff order eff. 6/26/2026 (transient CMS URL — do not pin as rules link)
No Active 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 La Plata County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.