Denver, CO Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in Denver, CO, also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance, set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Written permit before any open burn
- Cooking exemption
- Outdoor noncommercial cooking devices exempt
- Flare exemption
- Smokeless or safety flares also exempt
- Civil penalty
- Up to $2,000 per violation per day
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Health and Environment
Summary
Denver prohibits open burning citywide unless the Department of Public Health and Environment issues a written burn permit, with narrow exemptions for outdoor cooking devices and safety flares.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in or allow open burning within the city except when a written permit has been issued by the department; provided, however, that permits will not be required for fires in devices designed and used exclusively for outdoor noncommercial cooking of food for human consumption nor for smokeless or safety flares used for the combustion of gases or used to indicate some danger to the public.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Open burning is unlawful anywhere in Denver unless the Department of Public Health and Environment issues a written permit in advance. Before granting one, the department weighs the burn site's proximity to buildings, the day's weather conditions, the applicant's compliance with Denver Fire Department safety rules, whether a practical alternative exists, and whether the burn serves any purpose beyond aesthetics. The only burns exempt from permitting are fires in devices built and used solely for outdoor noncommercial cooking, plus smokeless or safety flares used to combust gases or signal danger.
Violations & Fines
Violating the open-burning permit requirement carries a civil penalty of up to two thousand dollars per violation per day, assessed by Denver's Department of Public Health and Environment under the chapter's enforcement authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a backyard bonfire in Denver?
Are grills and fire pits used for cooking allowed without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Denver
How Denver compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare Denver to another location·View the Colorado fire regulations overview
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