Open burning is generally prohibited in Colorado Springs under City Code Chapter 3 Article 8 and the adopted Fire Code. Recreational fires in approved fire pits are allowed only when no active fire restrictions are in place, must be 25 feet from structures, no larger than 3 feet in diameter, burn only dry seasoned wood, and be attended at all times with a shovel and water source.
Given the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fire history, Colorado Springs Fire Department aggressively enforces open burning rules. Stage 1 fire restrictions (common June through September) ban all open burning including recreational fires; only gas and propane appliances with on-off valves are allowed. Stage 2 restrictions ban all outdoor burning including charcoal and smoking outdoors on public lands. Current restriction status is posted daily at the CSFD website and local news. Pellet smokers and charcoal grills are permitted with a spark arrester during Stage 1 only at permanent residences.
Illegal burning during restrictions is a 500-dollar first-offense fine. Fires that cause property damage or trigger a response from CSFD may result in full cost-recovery billing (often tens of thousands of dollars) plus criminal charges for reckless burning under CRS 18-13-109.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Colorado Springs, CO
Continuously barking or howling dogs that create unreasonable disturbances are prohibited under Colorado Springs City Code §9.9.302 and the general noise ord...
Colorado Springs, CO
Construction noise in Colorado Springs is subject to the general noise ordinance (§9.8.101). Construction activities that exceed permissible decibel limits o...
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs prohibits excessive noise under City Code Title 9, Chapter 9.8. Residential decibel limits are more restrictive between 7 PM and 7 AM, with ...
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs bans RVs from parking on any public street citywide except for brief loading/unloading. On private property, RVs must be stored in side/rear...
Colorado Springs, CO
Commercial vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 lbs or more cannot be stored on private property in residential zoning districts. Trucks cannot park on residential...
Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado follows the Good Neighbor Fence Law (C.R.S. §35-46-112), which does not prescribe statewide height limits but requires shared fence costs if both ne...
See how Colorado Springs's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.