Fire Restriction Details

Prohibited During Fire Restrictions

The items below are NOT authorized during fire restrictions. Click the item tab for details.

  1. Building Fires
  2. Fireworks
  3. Open Burning
  4. Shooting
  5. Smoking
  6. DEFINITIONS
  7. County Policy

Image of a campfire at night

  • Building, maintaining, attending or using any fire or recreational campfire is NOT authorized during Jefferson County fire restrictions.

Allowed During Fire Restrictions

The following activities are still permitted during fire restrictions. 

  • Use of liquid or gas-fueled appliances;
  • Approved wood pellet grills;
  • Charcoal barbeque grills not closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2018 IFC 308.1.6);
  • Portable outdoor fireplaces may be used at one and two-family dwellings, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, so long as such portable outdoor fireplaces are not operated within 15 feet of a dwelling or combustible material. (2018 IFC 307.4.3);
  • Welding and cutting torch appliances, as described above in the definition section, may only be operated in an area no closer than 30 feet from an undeveloped area (2018 IFC 308.1.6);
  • Fire Department / District training fires;
  • Burning of explosive wastes by manufacturer of explosives in areas zoned for industrial use, when the burning is supervised by the fire protection district; and
  • Open fires or open burning by any federal, state, or local officer in the performance of official fire suppression functions.

Individuals operating under any of the above exemptions shall take adequate measures to prevent uncontrolled fires. Possible measures include:

  • Containers of adequate water or dry soil nearby;
  • Shovels, fire extinguishers, or other extinguishing agents nearby; or
  • Coordination with the local fire department or district to be on scene or standby during an activity.

Enforcement

Jefferson County deputies will strictly enforce the temporary fire ban and temporary fire restrictions in the unincorporated areas, to include federal lands. Pursuant to County Policy Part 3, Chapter 6, Section 2, authorizing the Declaration of Open Fire Bans, violations of these prohibitions, upon conviction, is punishable by a fine of not more than $600. Such act(s) violate section(s) 102.8 and / or 308.2.1 of the International Fire Code.