Washington County Fire Restrictions & Burn Bans
➜ View the current Washington County status on the live map
BurnBound monitors official Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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.
Washington 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) 345-2244.
Do Washington County restrictions apply on federal land?
Washington 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 Washington County sources
Fire protection districts in Washington 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.
Washington County fire-restriction rules by stage
Washington 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.
Open Fire Ban (Stage 1)
Prohibited:
- attempting to start or cause to start a fire through the use of, including but not limited to, fireworks, open pit barbeques, tobacco or campfires
- burning of garbage, weeds, or wood
No Fire Restrictions (Normal conditions (no restrictions declared))
Prohibited:
- burning during NWS red flag warnings (an automatic burn ban per both the Yuma and Washington County sheriffs)
Propane fire pits: permitted · Developed-campground fires: permitted
Source: Joint Yuma/Washington OEM controlled-burn page; Washington dispatch 970-345-2244
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 Washington County whenever one is published. See the full guide to Colorado fire restrictions for details, penalties, and propane specifics.