Douglas County Sheriff Orders Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for Castle Pines Area

A combination of low snowpack and early-season heat pushed Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly to activate Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for Castle Pines and all unincorporated county areas on April 3, placing the city's wildland-urban interface neighborhoods under new open-burning rules just as spring yard-clearing season begins.

The order, issued under Ordinance No. O-012-004, carries an immediate and specific prohibition: no open burning of any kind, and no fireworks, including consumer-grade model rockets. Violations are not treated as minor infractions. Breaking Stage 1 restrictions is classified as a Class 2 Petty Offense, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and a $10 surcharge.

Not everything involving flame is off the table. Charcoal grills remain permitted in developed residential and commercial areas, and gas or liquid-fueled camp stoves can still be used outdoors. Wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are allowed inside structures. Small recreational fires are also permitted, but only in fixed, permanent metal or steel fire pits at developed campground or picnic sites, with flames not exceeding four feet. Rock fire rings do not qualify. Professional fireworks displays licensed under Colorado statute are likewise exempted.

Castle Pines sits at the wildland-urban interface, where residential neighborhoods share fencelines with open space and brush, and where even a small ignition can demand a costly multi-agency response from the West Douglas County Fire Protection District and neighboring departments. Contractors doing spring landscaping work and homeowners using yard equipment that can throw sparks fall under the same restrictions.

The City of Castle Pines amplified the sheriff's order through community notices and urged residents to sign up for DougCo Alert to receive escalating warnings, including any evacuation orders should fire behavior worsen. Officials emphasized that the restrictions are weather-dependent and temporary. If meaningful precipitation returns, the sheriff's office will revisit the order; if sustained critical fire weather or high winds develop, Stage 2 restrictions could follow.

To report potential violations without dialing 911, contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 303-660-7500 or submit a report through the sheriff's online reporting portal, which covers Castle Pines and other unincorporated areas of the county.