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Burn Permits

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Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment is the agency with primary authority to issue permits for open burning in all unincorporated areas of the county. All open burning that occurs within FRFR’s jurisdiction requires a county-issued permit. To apply for a permit, the property owner or their authorized representative must complete the online application.

It is unlawful for any person to burn trash, tires, vehicles, structures, chemicals, furniture, etc.

All open burning, including the exceptions listed below, is prohibited during times when a red flag advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service or when other burn bans and/or restrictions have been enacted at the County or State level.

Picture of an Approved and Planned Ditch Burn

Exceptions

A permit is not required for a recreational cooking fire. A recreational cooking fire must be contained within an outside fireplace; manufactured, portable outdoor fire pit; or in a chiminea. Outside fireplaces may be no larger than three feet in diameter and shall include a screen or spark arrestor design feature if they involve the burning of wood. Flames within the fireplace may be no higher than 2 feet in height.

A permit may not be necessary for a qualified agricultural burn, including ditch burns. To qualify, the purpose of the burn must be to prepare the land for the planting of commercial crops. However, FRFR still requests that a County permit be obtained so we are notified of the burn.

Front Range Fire Rescue does not issue burn permits. All permits must be issued by the County of jurisdiction. Depending on the circumstances of the burn, a State air quality permit may be required. Open burning is prohibited during Red Flag Advisories.

Once you have obtained your permit, please call Weld County Dispatch at 970-350-9600 before you begin to burn. Weld County Dispatch will collect information from you about what you are burning, and then they will notify our firefighters that you will be burning.

To obtain a Weld County Burn Permit

Open burns occurring with Weld County must obtain a permit from the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment. Applicants may apply for the permit via the Weld County website.

Weld County will review the permit application. If approved, the applicant will receive an email that serves as the permit. The applicant is advised to print the permit and keep it with them while burning. Permits are valid for two (2) weeks from date of issue.

To burn under a County-issued permit, the permit holder must first verify that weather conditions are appropriate for burning, then notify Weld County Dispatch of their intent to burn. Callers to Dispatch must provide their name, phone number, permit number, location of burn, and time that the burn is planned to be complete.

To obtain a Larimer County Burn Permit

Open burns occurring with Larimer County must obtain a permit from the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. Applicants may apply for the permit via the Larimer County website.

Larimer County will review the permit application. If approved, the applicant will receive an email that includes the permit. The applicant is advised to print the permit and keep it with them while burning. Permits are valid for the time period listed on the permit.

To burn under a County-issued permit, the permit holder must first verify that weather conditions are appropriate for burning, then notify the Dispatch Center listed on the permit of their intent to burn. Callers to Dispatch must provide their name, phone number, permit number, location of burn, and time that the burn is planned to be complete.

To obtain a burn permit from the State of Colorado
Apply for State of Colorado agricultural burn permit by calling CDPHE at (303) 692-3268 or online.

Remember, a County burn permit may also be required. Once the applicant has received their State permit, they may begin the County permit process as described above.

Recreational Cooking Fires and Outdoor Fire Pits

The following requirements are based on the International Fire Code, as adopted by Front Range Fire Rescue, Town of Milliken and Town of Johnstown. These recommendations should be considered as “best practices” to improve fire safety and to reduce false alarms for the legal and authorized use of fire.

Outdoor recreational burning is allowed at one- and two-family homes only when contained within a manufactured, portable outdoor fire pit; outside fireplace; permanent fire pit; or a chiminea. All wood-burning appliances must include a screen or spark arrestor design feature and may not exceed three feet in diameter. A permit is not required to operate these devices.

  1. Outdoor fire pits must be constructed to be permanent. The property owner may work with the FRFR Life Safety Section and the municipality’s Building Department to obtain necessary permits and inspections. Temporary fire pits, such a hole dug in dirt, are not permitted.
  2. Outdoor wood burning appliances shall be maintained in good repair at all times and situated on clear and level ground so that the appliance cannot tip over. The fire’s location shall be no closer than 15 feet to adjacent combustible objects, including structures and fences. This same clearance is required between the fire and property lines.
  3. The size of an outdoor fire pit shall be no larger than 3 feet in diameter, and the height of any flames within that pit shall be no higher than 2 feet. The ground within 5 feet of the base of the fire shall be cleared of all combustible materials, such as grass or weeds.
  4. Only clean, dry wood may be burned. The burning of rubbish, trash, construction materials, yard debris, leaves, or recyclable materials is strictly prohibited.
  5. A responsible, non-impaired adult shall be present and shall monitor the burning until the fire is extinguished (i.e., out cold) and shall provide a means for rapid fire extinguishment such as water from a garden hose, a portable fire extinguisher, or a shovel and dirt or sand.
  6. Burning may be prohibited based upon current and predicted weather conditions, as determined by the FRFR company officer/incident commander.
  7. Burning is not allowed when burn restrictions have been enacted by the County or State.
  8. FRFR is authorized to order the extinguishment of any open burning if the smoke emissions are offensive to other local occupants or if safety guidelines are not followed.

Bonfire Regulations

A permit must be obtained to conduct any bonfire within the jurisdiction of Front Range Fire Rescue.

Bonfires are prohibited without a valid permit from Front Range Fire Rescue.

Permits that are issued for bonfires are one-time use only.

Bonfire permits shall be issued for either a two (2) hour bonfire event or a three (3) hour bonfire event.

All requests to conduct bonfires must be submitted to the FRFR Life Safety Section no less than one (1) week before the proposed date/time of the bonfire.

Requests for a permit to have a proposed bonfire must be reviewed by both the Fire Marshal and the Battalion Chief of the affected shift. The Life Safety Section will perform a site visit before the permit may be approved.

A permit for a bonfire may be denied or revoked at any time by any member of FRFR for safety violations or other mitigating circumstances.

Adherence to the Bonfire Regulations at all times shall be mandatory. Failure to comply with regulations will result in the immediate revocation of the permit, forfeiture of the permit fee, and is punishable under Chapter 3 of the 2018 International Fire Code and Colorado Revised Statutes 25-7-123(3).

Bonfire Regulations

  1. No person shall burn upon the land of another without prior written permission of the owner thereof or his agent.
  2. The pile to be burned shall consist of raw, untreated wood, firewood, and/or sections of trees (dried with bark removed, having a diameter of no greater than 6 inches). The burning of any other materials is strictly prohibited.
  3. The bonfire’s burn pile shall be no larger than 8 feet wide and 6 feet high at any time.
  4. The ground surrounding the burn pile shall be scraped to mineral earth (clean dirt) to a distance of at least 10 feet in all directions.
  5. A minimum distance of 50 feet shall be maintained between a bonfire and adjacent structures or combustible materials. Wood feed piles shall be maintained at a minimum distance of 50 feet from the burning pile.
  6. Burning is not permitted when sustained winds or wind gusts are predicted to exceed 10 miles per hour or during extremely dry conditions, as determined by the Fire Marshal or a Fire District representative.
  7. All bonfires require the presence of an FRFR standby crew of two (2) personnel as well as a fire department apparatus. Fees for personnel and apparatus are listed below.
  8. The FRFR standby crew will arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of burning to conduct a site safety inspection. The standby crew will remain on site following the active burning to ensure the full extinguishment of the fire.
  9. FRFR personnel will ignite all bonfires. Burn pile ignition methods shall be pre-approved by the Fire Marshal. Use of gasoline is prohibited.
  10. The property representative shall ensure that a competent, non-impaired adult is present during all bonfire events.
  11. The bonfire permit shall be maintained on site during the active date and times of the permit.
  12. All fires shall be completely extinguished (out cold) by the expiration time of the open burning permit.

Bonfire Permit Fees

Fees for bonfire permits are established based on the costs associated with providing

FRFR personnel and apparatus to standby during the bonfire event.

Hourly Rates:

FRFR Personnel = $42.00 per person per hour FRFR Apparatus = $73.00 per hour

A two-hour bonfire standby will cost: $314.00

A three-hour bonfire standby will cost: $395.00

Required fees shall be paid to FRFR prior to the bonfire standby.

Fees can be paid by check to Front Range Fire Rescue, or by credit card.