Welcome to the Boulder County Open Burn Portal
Boulder County allows the following open burns within unincorporated Boulder County.
- Slash piles — Permit required
- Agricultural burns — Registration required
- Agency burns — for controlled or prescribed burns by official agencies
- Broadcast burns — Burn Plan required
- Recreational fires — no larger than 2 feet wide by 2 feet long by 3 feet high
- Other exempted burns
Burns conducted in city and town boundaries within Boulder County should follow the guidance set forth by their municipality.
Open Burn Locations
View locations of upcoming, current, and completed burns within unincorporated Boulder County.
The Open Burn Portal
Use the Open Burn Portal to:
Agency Burns
If you are an official agency planning a controlled or prescribed burn, contact the BCSO Fire Management Office at bcopenburning@bouldercounty.gov for a registration link. The instructions below apply only to Slash and Ag burns. Fire Management will direct you to the Agency Burn Portal for a specific Agency Open Burn Hotline.
Before You Burn
Before you proceed with an open burn in unincorporated Boulder County, complete the following steps:
- Read the Guide to Burning for expert tips and instructions on how to burn safely.
- Ensure no reasonable Alternatives to Burning exist for disposing of your material.
- Ensure your planned burn complies with all regulations and requirements listed in the Quick Guide.
- Complete the burn permit application or register your agricultural burn.
- You will be notified within 20 days whether your burn permit application was approved or denied.
- You will receive your agricultural burn registration number within 24 hours.
- Log your Intent to Burn within 5 minutes of starting your burn on the Open Burn Portal or by calling the Open Burn Hotline at 720-806-4305. Make sure you have your permit number or agricultural registration number available.
IMPORTANT!
Before starting any permitted or registered burns you must file your Intent to Burn within five minutes of putting flames to the ground.
File your Intent to Burn on the Open Burn Portal.
Alternatively, call the Open Burn Hotline. Do not call dispatch to report your burn.
Open Burn Hotline 720-806-4305
After Your Burn
Once you extinguish your burn, log your Burn Completion by logging back into the Open Burning Portal. Alternatively, call the Open Burning Hotline.
Follow all mop up instructions, found in the Guide to Burning. Continue to monitor your burn site for at least 72 hours until no warmth can be detected by hand at any depth within the ash pile.
Related Ordinances
Feedback
- Please provide feedback on your open burn permit experience
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