Burn Restriction Stages in Aurora
Decision Criteria
Factors used to determine when fire restrictions are initiated include: weather, climate conditions, fuel moistures, local and regional fire activity and national and regional preparedness levels (which influences firefighting resource availability).

Evaluators in the Fire Marshall’s Office review the U.S. Drought Monitor index and considers the following metrics in their decision-making process:

• Fuel Moisture per 100 ft.
• Fuel Moisture per 1,000 ft.
• Energy Release Component           

The Fire Marshall’s Office takes all of these factors into consideration, and the appropriate restriction is implemented. Immediate public notifications are made to the media through news releases and additional communication is provided to the community using citywide channels.

Stage 1 Burn Restriction
The first stage occurs when there is an increasing fire danger and/or an increasing preparedness level, and the positive aspects of allowing the use of legal fireworks begin to be outweighed by the risks in allowing the use of legal fireworks. Stage 1 imposes restrictions aimed at preventing the start of structural or wildland fires based on the usage of all fireworks. A Stage 1 Restriction affects the following:

Recreational fireworks / devices requiring ignition, such as sparklers, snakes, aerials, comets, flares, flyers, fountains, missiles, mortars, spinners, punks, rockets, shells, etc.

Stage 2 Burn Restriction
As the risks increase, the Fire Chief may choose to implement a Stage 2 burn restriction. This stage intensifies the restrictions from Stage 1 by focusing on activities that typically are managed under permitting or a contractual agreement. The activities listed below are considered high risk related to fire causation. The following are restricted under Stage 2:

Recreational fires;
Bonfires;
Open or prescribed burns;
Outdoor smoking in ALL CITY PARKS AND OPEN SPACES;
Small internal combustion engines operated without a properly installed, maintained, and functioning spark arrestor;
Model Rockets.

Stage 3 Burn Restriction
This stage is selected when there are very high risks and the ability to manage those risks using Stage 1 or 2 restrictions are no longer appropriate. The social, economic, and political impacts of implementing a Stage 3 are outweighed by the potential for human-caused fires, which can increase vulnerabilities to the community. The following items are restricted under Stage 3:

Select pyrotechnic or commercial activities;
Portable or fixed fireplaces, and fire appliances, intended for outdoor use;
Cooking devices, intended for outdoor use, fueled by solid materials (wood, pellets, or charcoal) and/or liquid propane gas (LPG), natural gas or liquid fuel, in city parks and open spaces.
All other activities described in Stage 1 and Stage 2 burn restriction criteria.