Ouray County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Ouray County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Ouray 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 Ouray 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 Ouray 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.
Ouray County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-10-512. To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is 970-325-7272.
Do Ouray County restrictions apply on federal land?
Ouray 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 Ouray County sources
Fire protection districts in Ouray 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 Ouray 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: Gunnison Field Office, Uncompahgre Field Office
- Colorado State Parks: Ridgway State Park
- U.S. Forest Service: Norwood Ranger District, Ouray Ranger District
Ouray County fire-restriction rules by stage
Ouray 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:
- all personal fireworks
- any fire not contained within a permanently constructed fire-pit, fire-ring, or grate on public or private land
- smoking outdoors in areas not cleared of combustible materials
- agricultural burning
- welding or torches with open flame without a 10-ft cleared area and pressurized chemical fire extinguisher
- internal combustion engines (e.g., chainsaws) without a spark-arresting device
- target shooting with explosive targets
Allowed:
- fires in permanent fire pits or fire rings at private residences and within developed recreation sites such as campgrounds and picnic areas
- fire features, chimineas, and tiki torches at private residences when supervised by a responsible adult
- liquid-fuel or gas-fueled stoves, lanterns, and heating devices
- target shooting conducted in a safe manner (excluding explosive targets)
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- campfires
- charcoal grills
- wood-burning stoves
- chimineas
- tiki torches
- any open flames even at private homes or campgrounds
- smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building
- chainsaws or other internal-combustion equipment without a working spark-arresting device
- welding or torches without a 10-ft cleared area and pressurized fire extinguisher on hand
- off-road driving or parking (vehicles must stay on established roads/trails/parking unless no vegetation within 10 ft)
- explosives or fireworks
Allowed:
- gas grills or fire pits that can be turned on and off, only in areas cleared of flammable materials
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
'Gas grills or fire pits are allowed if they can be turned on and off and only in areas cleared of flammable materials.'
No Fire Restrictions (Normal conditions (no restrictions declared))
Prohibited:
- burning on Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning days
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Standing sheriff-page rule: 'No Burning on Fire Weather Watch or Red Flag Warning days!'
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 Ouray County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.