Before you burn: check Front Range air-quality status.

Action Days are not a guess

Colorado’s air-quality program publishes daily winter advisories for the Denver metropolitan area. During an Action Day, residential indoor-burning restrictions can apply, with limited exemptions for certain approved devices or primary heat.

The applicable rules depend on the current advisory, location, elevation, and appliance. Check the official forecast on the day you plan to burn rather than relying on an old post or a neighbor’s interpretation.

• Check the official Colorado Air Quality forecast before lighting a wood fire.
• Read the current advisory and any listed exceptions.
• If you are unsure whether your appliance qualifies, do not assume — confirm with the authority or manufacturer documentation.

A fireplace is not open burning

A residential wood-burning fireplace or stove, an outdoor recreational fire, and permitted open burning are different categories. Their restrictions and authorities are not interchangeable.

The CDPHE advisory page is the current source for Front Range Action Days. Colorado’s separate open-burning forecast is for permit holders and does not decide whether a household fireplace may be used.

Use the right fuel and a clean burn

EPA guidance recommends dry, seasoned firewood and a hot, well-vented fire. Wet wood, a smoldering fire, and unnecessary smoke can create more pollution and leave more residue in a chimney.

Never burn household trash, treated or painted wood, plastics, or other unsuitable materials in a fireplace or wood-burning appliance. Follow the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.

Keep the homeowner decision simple

The practical habit is simple: check the status, use the appliance correctly, and stop to ask a professional when smoke, draft, odor, or system behavior changes. A seasonal inspection is not a substitute for checking the current advisory before each burn.