El Paso County, CO Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)
Outdoor burning rules in El Paso County, 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
- EPCPH Open Burning Permit
- Covers
- rubbish, wood, flammable material
- Exception
- slash piles under 5 acres
- Enforcer
- El Paso County Public Health
Summary
El Paso County bans burning rubbish, waste paper, wood, or other flammable material on any lot, road, or alley unless the property owner first obtains an Open Burning Permit from El Paso County Public Health.
No person shall burn or allow the burning of rubbish, waste paper, wood, or other flammable material on any lot, tract, or parcel, or on any public road, alley, or other land unless an Open Burning Permit is first obtained from the EPCPH and in conformance with the Air Quality Regulations.
(b) Prescribed Burning of Slash Piles. Prescribed burning of slash piles or broadcast burns of less than 5 acres for the purpose of forest management or wildfire mitigation is allowed if in conformance with the Air Quality Regulations of the EPCPH.
(D) Continuous Compliance with Air Quality Standards Through Conditions. Where determined appropriate by the approving authority, continuous compliance with these standards may be imposed through conditions of approval of the development permit.
Drainage
(A) General.
(1) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to outline the standards for obtaining approval to disturb drainage facilities or alter drainage in association with development activities, and ensuring
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Land Development Code: Supplement 3 | Drainage Criteria Manual: Publication | Engineering Criteria Manual: Supplement 3 | Ordinances: Reformat).
Full Breakdown
The county's Land Development Code prohibits burning rubbish, waste paper, wood, or other flammable material on any lot, tract, or parcel, or on any public road, alley, or other land without a permit issued by El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) in conformance with its Air Quality Regulations. A narrow exception exists for prescribed burning: slash piles or broadcast burns under 5 acres for forest management or wildfire mitigation are allowed without the standard permit, but must still conform to EPCPH's Air Quality Regulations. The rule applies countywide in unincorporated El Paso County.
Violations & Fines
Burning without an EPCPH Open Burning Permit violates the Land Development Code's air quality standards and can draw code enforcement action separate from any fire-danger burn ban the Sheriff or Fire Authority imposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I burn brush or trash without a permit in unincorporated El Paso County?
Are small prescribed burns exempt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Paso County
How El Paso County compares: Cities with the Strictest Outdoor Burning Rules·Compare El Paso County to another location·View the Colorado fire regulations overview
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