Camping season is coming to a close, but for the heartier souls who are still setting up their tents as the temperatures drop, there is some good news, at least when it comes to campfires.
The White River National Forest will lift all fire restrictions beginning Friday, Sept. 25. The vast forest includes parts of Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield, Summit, Rio Blanco, Mesa, Gunnison, Routt and Moffat counties.
“Itap nice to see widespread moisture across the forest,” said White River National Forest Supervisor Brian Glaspell in a statement. “Please remember that lower fire danger doesn’t mean no fire danger, so continue to be vigilant and use common sense with fire.”
That means dousing them until they are cold to the touch.
The Forest Service warned that restrictions could be reinstated if conditions change. “We appreciate the public’s compliance and patience with fire restrictions over this very dry summer,” Glaspell said.
So far in 2026, the National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management-administered lands in the Upper Colorado Interagency Fire Management Unit have reported 181 total fires on BLM and Forest Service lands — 32 of them started by people. Last year, there were 141 fires, with 57 human-caused fires. Of those fires, 39 were in White River, 6 caused by humans.
The Forest Service lowered fire restrictions to Stage 1 earlier this month.
