San Miguel County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current San Miguel County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official San Miguel 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 Miguel 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 Miguel 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.
To confirm current restrictions by phone, the county office on record is (970) 728-1911.
Do San Miguel County restrictions apply on federal land?
San Miguel 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 San Miguel County sources
Fire protection districts in San Miguel 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 San Miguel 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, Uncompahgre Field Office
- U.S. Forest Service: Mancos/Dolores Ranger District, Norwood Ranger District, Ouray Ranger District
San Miguel County fire-restriction rules by stage
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions (Stage 1)
Prohibited:
- building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire except within a permanently constructed fire grate in a developed campground, developed recreation site, or improved site (charcoal grills remain permitted on private property)
- open burning
- smoking except in designated areas
- explosives
- welding without cleared area
Allowed:
- campfires within a permanently constructed fire grate in a developed campground, developed recreation site, or improved site
- charcoal grills on private property
- gas and propane grills with an on-off switch for flames
- propane fire pits
- camp stoves
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Standing Stage 1 rules on county Fire Information page
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions (Stage 2)
Prohibited:
- campfires
- charcoal grills
- wood-burning stoves
- chimineas
- tiki torches
- any open flames except permitted gas devices
- smoking except in enclosed vehicle or building
- chainsaws without spark arrestor
- off-road driving
- explosives or fireworks
Allowed:
- gas grills or propane stoves that can be turned on and off, only in areas cleared of flammable materials
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: not permitted
Page names 'gas grills or propane stoves' with on/off — shut-off-valve interpretation covers fire pits (medium confidence).
Source: Standing Stage II rules; Stage 2 in effect for private unincorporated land since 6/26/2026
No Fire Restrictions (Normal conditions (no restrictions declared))
Prohibited:
- open burning in unincorporated areas during any NWS red flag warning (always prohibited per Ordinance 2024-04)
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Permanent conditional rule on county Fire Information 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 San Miguel County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.