Sheriff Rescinds Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ouray County RESCINDS Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, reinstates Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

Ouray County, Colo. – With the return of some much-needed moisture in our area and recent heavy rains over much of Ouray County, the moisture levels in our surrounding forests have increased, which in turn, have increased the availability of responding resources, and lessened the threat of wildfire danger. This makes it possible for Ouray County to rescind Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will be rescinded effective 12:01 a.m., Thursday, September 3, 2026, and Stage 1 Fire Restrictions will be reinstated at that same time; this includes only the unincorporated areas of Ouray County, not the City of Ouray or Town of Ridgway, please check with the municipalities for their updates.

Each week, the Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management engage in fire restriction coordination meetings with our dispatch zone. These gatherings include representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Weather Service, Interagency Dispatch, National Park Service, and the counties within our area. During these meetings, they assess various factors such as recent and upcoming weather patterns, precipitation levels, fuel moisture, fire danger indices, human-caused fire incidents, and current fire behavior and spread. They also consider the availability of firefighting resources and other conditions impacting wildfire risk in the region. Fire restrictions are determined by evaluating the overall conditions and leveraging the most reliable fire-weather and fuels information available, rather than relying on a single factor.

Fire restrictions are often put into place and rescinded throughout the season, and it’s important for community members and visitors to always double-check if restrictions are in place, and when in doubt, DON’T BURN.

Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, the following activities are prohibited:

All personal fireworks.
Any fire not contained within a permanently constructed fire-pit, fire-ring, or grate on public or private land.
Smoking outdoors in areas that are not cleared of combustible materials.
Agricultural burning.
Welding or operating acetylene or other torches with an open flame unless conducted in a cleared area at least 10 feet in diameter and with a pressurized chemical fire extinguisher immediately available.
Operating internal combustion engines, such as chainsaws, without a properly installed and maintained spark-arresting device.
Target shooting with explosive targets.

The following activities remain permitted under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:

Fires in permanent fire pits or fire rings at private residences and within developed recreation sites such as campgrounds and picnic areas.
Fire features, chimineas, and tiki torches at private residences when supervised by a responsible adult.
Use of liquid-fuel or gas-fueled stoves, lanterns, and heating devices.
Target shooting conducted in a safe manner (excluding explosive targets).

Please be advised that penalties for violating the fire ban include: Class-2 petty offense with fines ranging from $100 to $500 depending on the number of offenses. If a fire causes damage to another individual’s property, additional criminal charges may apply. These fire restrictions will remain in effect until further notice.

Violations of these restrictions can be reported to the Ouray County Sheriff's Office at 970-325-7272 or by calling WestCo Dispatch at 970-249-9110.

For more fire-related information on Colorado’s Western Slope please visit: http://www.westslopefireinfo.com/

Community members and visitors are encouraged to sign-up for Emergency Notifications through Ouray County Alerts: https://ouraycountyco.gov/434/Emergency-Notifications

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