Be Firewise!

Have a Safe, Responsible Campfire

Ensure your campfire has minimal impact. If a campfire is important to you:

• Ask rangers about pertinent regulations and campfire management techniques.
• Judge the wind, weather, location, and wood availability. Decide whether it’s safe and responsible to build a campfire.
• Where there are no fire rings or grates, bring a fire pan or set aside time to build a mound fire.
• Have a container for dousing the ashes with water.
• Keep the fire small. Small fires consume fewer resources and leave less impact, but they still provide a cozy social atmosphere desired by campfire devotees.

Know Fire Restrictions

High altitudes are susceptible to wood that burns hot and fast. The wet environment can also be very dry in the summer months. Know what the fire restrictions are in your camping destination before thinking of starting a fire. Fire conditions can change daily, just because you start camping and there is not a fire ban in place does not mean there will not be one issued later in the day. 

Find San Juan National Forest fire restrictions here.

Find city/county fire restrictions here.

Where Can You Have a Fire?

There are best practices for how to safely have a fire once you know there are no fire restrictions in place.

• Look for fire rings at your camp. Use an established fire ring or grate. Make sure the area around it is clear of flammable items.
• Use a stove to cook food instead of a fire
• If you do not bring your own firewood, look for dead and downed wood
• Ensure there is sufficient time to prepare the fire site
• Burn all the wood to cold ash and clean up

Other Options Instead of a Fire

Fire season heightens the importance of responsible recreation. We suggest looking at fire-free alternatives 

• LED lanterns or solar-powered lights for ambiance
• Flame-free “campfire circles” (storytelling, stargazing)
• For more alternatives read visit our Campfire Alternatives blog.

Smoke and Air Quality 

Wildland fires and smoke are natural parts of life in Colorado. Not every day is the picturesque clear blue sky you see in media. If you  see smoke find out if it from a planned or unplanned burn by calling the San Jaun National Forest Supervisor's Office (970) 247-4874 . If you are worried about air quality, visit Airnow.gov for the latest air quality measurements.

Additional Guidelines

Fire Rules to Live By:

Manage your campfire. No matter which fire-building technique you employ, the following guidelines will ensure that your fire is safe and leaves as little impact as possible:

• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Don’t try to burn trash, leftover food, or other garbage that would have to be removed later.
• Burn the wood completely to ash: Stop feeding the fire and give yourself an hour or more to add all the unburned stick ends.
• Saturate the ash with water and stir it around. Make sure it’s cool to the touch and remove any trash.
• When not using an established ring, restore the appearance of the site to where it does not look like you where there.

Pledge to Be a Responsible Traveler

And enter to win a return trip to Durango!

Your good deeds could earn you a Durango dream vacation, including lodging, dining, and activities. Sign the Care for Durango pledge to be a responsible traveler during your visit and you will be entered to win a return trip to Durango!