Arvada, CO Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

' Under Section 42-113(a), when the county declares fire restrictions or a fire ban for any unincorporated county area within 15 miles of the city's boundaries, Stage 1 restrictions or a Stage 2 ban take effect immediately city-wide, and the city manager posts notice on the city's website; failure to post the notice does not affect enforcement. The city manager, on the Arvada Fire Protection District's recommendation, may also independently declare, modify, upgrade, downgrade, or stay Stage 1 or Stage 2 status under Section 42-112, and may withdraw restrictions once conditions improve.

Section 42-114(a) makes it unlawful to build, maintain, attend to, or use a recreational fire or an open fire once Stage 1 restrictions are in effect, subject to nine listed exceptions covering things such as smoking more than 30 feet from undeveloped land, contained recreational fires more than 30 feet from undeveloped land, and liquid- or gas-fueled appliances. Section 42-115(a) applies the same prohibition once a Stage 2 fire ban is declared, but narrows the exceptions to smoking, liquid- or gas-fueled appliances, UL-listed wood pellet grills, chain saws with spark arresters, and permitted hot work performed at least 30 feet from combustible material. The article does not apply to a fire authorized by a fire-code-official permit, such as a professional fireworks display, or to authorized fire-suppression training.