Montrose County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Montrose County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Montrose 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 Montrose 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 Montrose 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.
Montrose County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-15-401. To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is (970) 252-7001.
Do Montrose County restrictions apply on federal land?
Montrose 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 Montrose County sources
Fire protection districts in Montrose 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 Montrose 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: Grand Junction Field Office, Gunnison Field Office, Tres Rios Field Office, Uncompahgre Field Office
- National Park Service: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area
- U.S. Forest Service: Grand Valley Ranger District, Norwood Ranger District, Ouray Ranger District, Paonia Ranger District
Montrose County fire-restriction rules by stage
Montrose 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 1 Fire Restrictions (Stage 1)
Prohibited:
- open burning
- agricultural burns
- fireworks
- smoking outdoors except inside an enclosed vehicle or building or within a developed recreation site
Allowed:
- campfires only in permanently constructed fire grates or enclosed fire pits in approved campgrounds, state parks, or similar developed recreation areas
- propane or liquid-fueled stoves and lanterns
- camp stoves
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- any campfires including charcoal or pellet grills
- agricultural burns or any open burning
- smoking in timber, brush, or grass-covered areas
- fireworks or pyrotechnics of any kind, including exploding targets
- cutting, welding, or grinding outdoors
- operating any internal combustion engine (e.g., chainsaws) without a spark-arresting device
Allowed:
- propane or liquid-fueled camp stoves, lanterns, and heating devices equipped with an on/off switch
- target shooting in a safe manner
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Stage 2 permits propane heating devices equipped with an on/off switch — covers propane fire pits.
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 Montrose County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.