San Juan National Forest adds Stage 1 fire restrictions in lower elevations

The lower-elevation parts of the San Juan National Forest, Zone I, went under Stage 1 fire restrictions at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 22, while Zone II and all wilderness areas stayed outside the restriction boundary for now. For hikers, campers and overlanders planning a weekend in southwest Colorado, the split matters: your route may cross from unrestricted high country into a lower drainage, and the rules change with it.

The Forest Service said the boundary follows major roadways and designated wilderness lines, and the lower country is being averaged below 8,000 feet for fire-danger assessment. Peak green-up around the forest came on about May 14, but hot, dry weather has pushed lower-elevation fuels into a rapid drying trend. Recent rain was spotty. About a quarter-inch northwest of Dolores was enough to slow drying locally and let firefighters proceed with the Salter-Carlyle Prescribed Fire on Wednesday, but not enough to erase the broader risk picture.

Stage 1 changes campfire planning first. Open fires are prohibited except in approved metal or concrete fire pits at developed recreation sites, or with a fully enclosed stove or gas device used in a cleared area. Smoking is banned outside enclosed vehicles, buildings or developed recreation sites. Welding and open-flame torches are also off-limits unless strict safety conditions are met. A violation in Colorado carries a minimum fine of $530, so this is not the kind of rule to interpret loosely at a pullout or dispersed campsite.

For people trying to salvage a trip, the cleanest move is to shift toward higher-elevation terrain and wilderness destinations that remain exempt, while checking the Forest Order maps for the Mancos-Dolores, Columbine and Pagosa ranger districts before leaving town. The San Juan National Forest says the order is effective through December 31, 2026 unless lifted earlier, and the contact number for the Supervisor’s Office is (970) 247-4874. Fire should be reported by calling 9-1-1.

The San Juan National Forest spans about 1.8 million acres in southwest Colorado, and officials are again using elevation-based restrictions to match sharply different conditions across that landscape. The memory of the 416 Fire, which burned 54,120 acres north of Durango from June 1 to July 9, 2018, still hangs over every early-season restriction. This weekend, the message is simple: lower country means no casual fire use, and the safest plans start with the map, not the trailhead.