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Exempt from Obtaining Open Burning Permits

The following sources are exempt from having to obtain an open burning permit:

• Agricultural Open Burning

• The open burning of ground cover vegetation conducted by commercial agricultural operations* for the purpose of:
• Preparing the soil for crop production and livestock grazing.
• Clearing of irrigation ditches and fence lines.
• Controlling noxious weeds.
• Burning tree trimmings by commercial orchards for disease control.
• *Commercial agricultural operations are those in which the growing of crops or livestock is a "gainful occupation," such that the income received from the agricultural operation is greater than $500 per year.  A property that is zoned "agricultural" but does not meet the criteria of a "commercial agricultural operation," as listed above, is not exempt from obtaining an open burning permit.
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• Recreational Fires

• Fires used for:
• Non-commercial cooking of food for human consumption (barbeques)
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• Instructional or religious purposes (bonfires).
• Recreational purposes (campfires on private property).
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• Training Fires

• Fires utilized by fire management agencies for personnel training exercises

Note: Although agricultural burns and training burns are not required to obtain an authorized or signed open burning permit, the property owner or agency must notify Boulder County Communications (303-441-4444) and their local fire protection district of the burn so that the agencies can respond to public inquiries and keep records of the burns.

Open burning is prohibited anytime there is an air pollution alert or an air pollution advisory that invokes wood burning bans in the affected area (i.e., a RED air quality advisory). Exempt sources are strongly encouraged to follow these restrictions as well.

Local or statewide burn bans for fire danger may also prohibit these types of burns.