Saguache County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Saguache County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Saguache 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 Saguache 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 Saguache 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.
Saguache County's recorded statutory authority is C.R.S. § 30-10-512. To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is 719-655-2544.
Do Saguache County restrictions apply on federal land?
Saguache 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 Saguache County sources
Fire protection districts in Saguache 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 Saguache 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, San Luis Valley Field Office
- National Park Service: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- U.S. Forest Service: Divide Ranger District, Gunnison Ranger District, Saguache Ranger District, Salida Ranger District, San Carlos Ranger District
Saguache County fire-restriction rules by stage
Saguache 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:
- fires/campfires outside agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites
- smoking outside permitted areas
- chainsaw use without approved spark arrester, 8-oz extinguisher and 36-inch shovel
- welding/torch with open flame outside 10-foot cleared areas with extinguisher
- exploding targets
Allowed:
- campfires within agency-provided fire grates at developed recreation sites
- devices using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel (propane fire pits, gas grills, camp stoves)
- smoking in enclosed vehicle/building, developed recreation site, or 3-foot cleared area
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Order COF01-26-01, eff. 6/18/2026 (dated homepage news card — the currently active level)
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire
- smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building
- fireworks, pyrotechnic devices, and explosives
- operating chainsaws/internal-combustion equipment between 1:00 PM and 1:00 AM
- engines without properly installed spark arresting devices
- welding or torch with open flame
- motor vehicles off system roads except cleared parking, developed campgrounds and trailheads
Propane fire pits: not permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
County Stage 2 order text is silent on valve/gas devices — conservative false. (The gas-grill allowance in prior stored data belonged to the Baca Grande Subdivision ban, not the county order.)
Source: County Stage 2 news card (undated, stale — superseded by the dated Stage 1 card as current status)
No Fire Restrictions (Normal conditions (no restrictions declared))
Prohibited:
- burning on Red Flag days
Allowed:
- agricultural burning after reporting to the Sheriff before ignition
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Standing county-wide notes on the fire-restrictions page
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 Saguache County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.