San Juan County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current San Juan County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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.
San Juan 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) 387-5531.
Do San Juan County restrictions apply on federal land?
San Juan 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 San Juan County sources
Federal & state lands overlapping San Juan 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
- U.S. Forest Service: Columbine Ranger District, Divide Ranger District, Ouray Ranger District
San Juan County fire-restriction rules by stage
San Juan 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, charcoal grills, or wood stoves except in designated fire structures at developed recreation sites
- smoking except in enclosed vehicle/building, developed recreation site, or 3-ft cleared area
- fireworks and explosive material
- welding or torch use except in a 10-ft cleared area with an 8-oz Class 2A extinguisher
- internal combustion engines without approved spark arrester
Allowed:
- propane grills and stoves (allowed anywhere)
- campfires and charcoal grills only in designated fire structures at developed recreation sites
- commercial, professional and municipal fireworks displays with specific written approval from the San Juan County Sheriff
Propane fire pits: not permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Resolution 2026-06 affirmatively allows propane grills and stoves but is silent on propane fire pits — conservative false.
Source: Resolution 2026-06 Stage 1 Fire Ban (adopted 6/10/2026), under standing Ordinance 2003-01
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- campfires of any kind (including in developed sites)
- charcoal barbecue
- smoking outdoors
- welding outdoors
- vehicles off established roads
- chainsaws without proper equipment
- explosives
Allowed:
- pressurized liquid or gas devices (stoves, grills or lanterns) with shut-off valves, 3 ft from flammables
- lanterns using gas or jellied petroleum
Propane fire pits: not permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Stage 2 allowed-device enumeration is limited to pressurized stoves/grills/lanterns with shut-off valves — fire pits excluded (defensible false).
Source: Resolution 2026-07 Stage Two Fire Ban (adopted 6/29/2026, eff. 6/30/2026)
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 San Juan County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.