Due to dry conditions, the Arapahoe County Sheriff has issued a ban on all open fires and open burning within Unincorporated Arapahoe County, to include the Cherry Creek State Park and the City of Centennial, effective immediately. The Open Burning Ban will remain in effect until such time as this order is formally rescinded or temporarily suspended by the Sheriff, and such date cannot be determined at this time.

David C. Walcher, Arapahoe County Sheriff, has determined that the existing conditions in the county present an extreme danger for the possibility of wildfire and large wildland fires. The authority to implement the Open Burning Ban within Unincorporated Arapahoe County is provided through Arapahoe County Ordinance #2000-02 and Colorado Revised Statutes 30-10-512 and 30-15-401 (1)(n.5). The authority to implement the Open Burning Ban within the City of Centennial is provided through Colorado Revised Statutes 30-15-401(1)(n.5)(I) and 30-15-401(8).

Prohibited open fires or open burning shall be defined as the usage of any fireworks, and any other outdoor fires including, but not limited to: campfires; fires in constructed, permanent fire pits or fire grates within developed camp and picnic grounds or recreation sites, charcoal fueled fires, warming fires; fires in outdoor wood burning stoves (chimney sparks or embers); the prescribed burning of fence lines, fence rows, fields, farmlands, rangelands, wildlands, trash or debris.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Open Burning Ban is enforced as a County Ordinance violation that, upon conviction, could result in fines of $500.00 for the first offense, $750.00 for a second offense, and $1,000.00 for a third and subsequent offenses.

The following shall be exempt from the Open Burning Ban:

•   Fires contained within liquid fueled or gas stoves, fireplaces and wood burning     stoves/fireplaces within habitable buildings.
•   Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled barbeque grills used for cooking or warming food,     which do not produce or emit sparks or embers when used.
•   Charcoal fueled grills and pits used for cooking or warming food, which do not produce     or emit sparks or embers when used.
•   Propane/LP/Natural Gas fueled fire pits that do not produce or emit sparks or embers     when used.
•   Fire set by any federal, state, or local officer, or member of a fire protection district in the     performance of an official duty.
•   Public fireworks displays supervised by appropriate firefighting/public safety personnel     and supported by adequate equipment assigned to be on the scene of such permitted     public displays.

The Arapahoe County and the City of Centennial Open Burning Ban is implemented as result of discussions between Arapahoe County Sheriff David C. Walcher, area Fire Chiefs, the Board of County Commissioners and the City of Centennial.