Summit, Eagle among Colorado counties now under Stage 1 fire restrictions

Last weekend saw temperatures in Central Colorado soar into the triple digits, and despite cooler weather with thunderstorm activity during the week, it’s right back up to the mid 90’s again this weekend.

The extreme heat is here a little early, but that’s not the most serious problem – the snowpack has already melted off in most all sub-alpine areas of the state, and the snow/water equivalent readings are all rapidly approaching drought territory.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, each of Mesa and Delta Counties along the western slope are already within level D3 (Extreme Drought) territory, as is much of Conejos County on the souther border with New Mexico along the eastern San Juan Mountains.

While much of the Front Range and Sawatch Range has slightly more moisture to it at the moment, much of the heavily touristed I-70 corridor isn’t taking any chances in 2025. As a result, each of Summit and Eagle Counties – as well as Pitkin County further to the south – have already instituted Stage 1 fire restrictions.

Stage 1 fire restrictions effectively ban open burning, fireworks, and any fires in the backcountry – only fires in designated rings/pits at established campgrounds are OK in these particular counties.

Olivia Prentzel of the Colorado Sun detailed the two fires currently burning across the state this morning – the Hilltop Fire outside Rifle and the Horse Draw fire on the Colorado/Utah border in the vicinity of Dinosaur National Monument.

There’s ample interagency overlap with the great wild lands in the state of Colorado, so it’s always important to check, check, and check again all fire restrictions and notices prior to planning to have any sort of flame during these dry conditions. Summit and Eagle Counties, in particular, are home to the White River National Forest as well as the likes of the Holy Cross Wilderness and Eagles Nest Wilderness, while Pitkin houses the heavily trekked Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness.

It’s likely that many of the counties within the region will follow suit soon with restrictions of their own, especially with the looming July 4th celebrations and the fireworks (both legal and illegal) that inevitably are blown up along with them. There’s also the need to see how the typical July monsoon season develops across the state, as much-needed moisture from the typical storm pattern could help put a dent in the worsening drought that’s already impacting these areas.

Leave No Trace principles already detail how you should do your best to leave minimal fire impact wherever you trek, but these additional fire restrictions are even more must-follow given the severity of damage one could cause from a campfire gone awry.

For more information on which counties within Colorado are dealing with fire restrictions, check out Colorado’s Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, who keeps an interactive, county by county map of the situation.