Chaffee County Office of Emergency Management

06/09/2026

🚩🚩Effective Tuesday, June 9th, 2026, at 6:00AM Chaffee County will move back into stage 1 fire restrictions for all unincorporated Chaffee County including all municipalities. The Forest Service will not yet be joining us with restrictions so federal lands within the county are not yet under restrictions. For a list of what is allowed during stage 1 restrictions please go to our website
https://chaffeecounty.org/departments/sheriff/fire_restrictions.php.

“The north end of our county did not recover as well as we had hoped with the recent moisture. The south end did green up with recent moisture which will help limit growth of any potential fire. However, we just did not get the moisture that was predicted after we last lifted restrictions. Parts of the north end of our county are in exceptional drought which is the highest the scale goes. The rest of our county is in extreme or severe drought. Fire science based on the availability and condition of fire fuels along with weather patterns are a huge determining factor when we make these decisions. Our local fire fighter partners are also consulted so that we make educated decisions that are difficult. This is a year unlike most and unfortunately, we must play with the deck mother nature dealt us. We sympathize with businesses and the agriculture community that need fire to operate but we owe it to our community to make Chaffee County as safe as we can without exception.” -Sheriff Andy Rohrich (Chaffee County Fire Warden).

Please continue to use extreme caution. Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office Deputies will be out enforcing restrictions. Please call us if you observe any violations.

-Sheriff Andy Rohrich

05/16/2026

🚩🚩Red Flag Warning for Chaffee County Saturday.

Fire weather concerns will be present through the weekend for portions of southern Colorado. Winds will be out of the southwest 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, with the strongest winds on Sunday. Humidity values will fall to under 10% Avoid anything that could spark a fire!

05/14/2026

A Red Flag Warning is in effect today for Chaffee County. From 11am to 7pm. No outdoor burning is allowed.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 11AM to 7PM Today for the Central and Southern Mountains. West winds 15-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph and humidity values 10-15% are expected. Avoid anything that could spark a fire!

05/14/2026

It's almost time for the ♻️Free Metal Recycling ♻️ at the Chaffee County Landfill!

Drop off times are next Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00am-3:30pm May 18-23, 2026 for Chaffee County residents.

05/14/2026

♻️♻️E-Waste Recycling Event♻️♻️

Do you have old electronics collecting dust? Bring them to our E-Waste Recycling Event and help keep harmful waste out of landfills!

♻️♻️📱💻🖥️🖨️📷📺💡📟💽⌚️♻️♻️

May 16th at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds

Recycle responsibly and help protect the environment! 🌍

05/14/2026

Cottonwood Pass will be opening May 21!

Cottonwood Pass Reopening for the Season on May 21st ~5pm
Both Chaffee County and Gunnison County Sides of the Pass to be Opened

SALIDA, COLO - Chaffee County Road & Bridge Department announces its plans to reopen Cottonwood Pass for the 2026 summer season before the Memorial Day weekend.

Working in concert with Gunnison County Public Works Department, Chaffee Road & Bridge anticipates Cottonwood Pass will be cleared on both sides of the county line by roughly 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 21st, and should be opened to vehicular traffic at that time. As is the case every year, this date and time is contingent on weather conditions.

Cottonwood Pass crosses the Continental Divide at 12,120 feet, connecting Chaffee and Gunnison counties on Chaffee County Road 306 and Gunnison County Road 209. Approximately half a million vehicles travel over the Pass each year, which is generally closed from early October through mid-May due to heavy snow accumulation.

05/14/2026

No outdoor burning of any kind Thursday, May 14 in Chaffee County.

There will be no outdoor burning of any kind allowed in unincorporated Chaffee County tomorrow 05-14-26 because of very poor predicted fire weather. Thank You

04/24/2026

🚩🚩The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Chaffee County From 11 AM to 9 PM MDT Friday, April 24. 🚩🚩

* WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 7 percent.

* IMPACTS...Elevated fire danger is expected. Fires will catch
and spread rapidly and erratically.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.

As a reminder, we are under Stage 1 fire restrictions in Chaffee County. Please avoid any activity that can start a fire and be sure to follow all restrictions. Report fire or smoke to Chaffee County Dispatch at 719-539-2596. Call 911 for emergency.

If you haven't thought about what you're going to do if fire approaches your home and you're given an evacuation order, please take the time to plan ahead, prepare yourself and your family, and be ready to go at any moment.

04/21/2026

A Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning has been issued for Chaffee County and some surrounding areas for Wednesday. Winds of 20 to 40 mph with gusts to 65 mph will be possible along with single digit humidity values, The greatest area of concern is the Central Mountain Region, all of the Southern Mountains and Valleys and the San Luis Valley. Please do NOT do anything that could create a spark!

Avoid debris burning, campfires, and any outdoor activity or use of equipment that could produce a spark. Follow all local fire restrictions. Visit ready.gov/wildfires\ for tips on how to prepare for a wildfire.

Extreme fire danger is expected. Fires will spread uncontrollably and could be very destructive.

There will be no outdoor burning of any kind allowed Wednesday April 22 or Thursday April 23.

04/13/2026

The time to prepare for wildfires and potential wildfire evacuations is now!

https://www.ready.gov/wildfires