Boulder, CO Outdoor Cooking: Smoker Rules (2026)

Boulder treats backyard smokers under the general IFC framework rather than a dedicated provision. Single-family use is permitted under normal conditions; the standing question is the burn-restriction status declared by Boulder Fire-Rescue. Stage 1 restrictions, common in summer, prohibit open burning and fireworks but allow gas and charcoal cooking devices when used responsibly. Stage 2 restrictions, declared during severe fire-danger weather, prohibit recreational fires, outdoor smoking, and can prohibit charcoal grills and wood-fired smokers entirely — gas grills typically remain allowed. On multifamily balconies, IFC 308.1.4 (BRC 10-8-2) applies the same way to charcoal and wood-burning smokers as to grills: prohibited within 10 feet of combustible construction unless the balcony is sprinklered. The Regional Air Quality Council declares High Pollution Action Days on the Front Range during winter inversions; under Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation 4, residential wood burning is restricted on declared days, which can include wood-fired smokers. The Boulder general nuisance provisions in BRC Title 5 reach repeated offensive smoke that taints the air, though enforcement against routine cooking is rare. Properties inside the expanded WUI (effective Aug. 1, 2025) face additional ignition-source restrictions adopted from the 2024 IWUIC, which can require clearance, screening, and ash management practices. HOA CC&Rs in deed-restricted neighborhoods such as Heatherwood and Wonderland Hills often impose tighter limits.