Travel Tips
Fire Restrictions Around Prescott, Explained
What Stage 1 and Stage 2 fire restrictions actually prohibit in Yavapai County and the Prescott National Forest, when they run, and what stays legal. Propane is the answer.
September 4, 2026 · The Owners
If you are visiting Prescott between late May and the end of September, assume there is a fire ban. There usually is. Here is what that actually means, because the official language is not written for visitors.
The stages
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Campfires and charcoal | Prohibited, including in developed campgrounds | Prohibited |
| Wood and coal stoves | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Propane and LPG with an on-off valve | Allowed | Usually allowed, check the order |
| Smoking | Only in an enclosed vehicle or building, or a cleared area | More tightly restricted |
| Fireworks | Prohibited county-wide, public and private land | Prohibited |
| Chainsaws and equipment | Generally allowed with a spark arrester | Restricted to set hours |
| Being in the forest at all | Allowed | May be restricted, up to full closure |
Stage details vary between the Prescott National Forest, Yavapai County and the City of Prescott, and the exact wording of the current order is what governs. Check YavapaiReady.gov/FireBan.
What was in force in 2026
The Prescott National Forest implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions at 8 a.m. on Thursday 21 May 2026, continuing through midnight on 30 September 2026 unless rescinded earlier. Yavapai County ran its own restrictions across the same period.
That is more than four months, and it covers the whole of the summer season. If you are here in June, July, August or September, plan for it.
The one rule that matters
Propane with an on-off control is exempt. Everything that burns wood or charcoal is not.
That single distinction covers most of what a visitor needs:
- Camp stove running on propane: fine.
- Gas barbecue: fine.
- Charcoal grill: not fine.
- Campfire in a built fire ring at a developed campground: not fine.
- Fire pit at a rental cabin: not fine.
- Chiminea, solo stove, anything with a flame you cannot switch off: not fine.
The logic is that a valve can be shut instantly and embers cannot.
The bit that catches campers out
Stage 1 prohibits fires including in developed campgrounds and improved sites. People read “developed campground” and assume the built fire ring at their site is an exception. It is not.
So a summer camping trip near Prescott means a propane stove and no fire to sit around. That changes the evening a great deal, and it is worth knowing in advance rather than at dusk on your first night. More in our campgrounds comparison.
Fireworks
Prohibited on both public and private property throughout the Yavapai County fire ban zones. This includes the consumer fireworks that are legal to buy elsewhere in Arizona. Around the Fourth of July, when the World’s Oldest Rodeo is in town, go and watch the professional display and leave it at that.
What still works in a fire ban
- Propane grills, at every cabin and campground.
- Hot tubs, which have no flame and are unaffected by any stage. During a ban this is genuinely the only outdoor thing left after dark, which is why it comes up so often in our guest messages.
- Indoor wood-burning fireplaces, which are not covered by outdoor fire restrictions. In practice nobody wants one in July anyway.
- Everything else you came for. Lakes, trails, town. Fire restrictions are not forest closures, and a Stage 1 ban does not stop you hiking.
When it lifts
The monsoon is what ends it. Once storms have soaked the fuels through July and August, restrictions are usually lifted somewhere between late August and the end of September. In a dry year they run the full term. See our monsoon guide for how that season actually behaves.
Always check the current order before you travel. Stages go up as well as down, and a dry, windy June can push the forest to Stage 2 with little notice.
Where to stay
Both of our cabins have a propane grill that stays legal all summer and a private hot tub that no fire ban touches. The Groom Creek Getaway also has a fire pit, which is off limits during the ban and excellent in October. Check the calendar.
Common questions
Are there fire restrictions in Prescott right now?
Almost certainly between late May and the end of September. In 2026 the Prescott National Forest went to Stage 1 at 8 a.m. on 21 May, running through midnight on 30 September unless rescinded early. Check YavapaiReady.gov/FireBan for the current status before you travel, because stages change with conditions.
Can you use a propane grill during a fire ban in Arizona?
Yes, under Stage 1. Devices fuelled solely by propane or LPG with an on-off control are exempt, because they can be shut off instantly. That covers most camp stoves and gas barbecues. Charcoal is not exempt and neither is a wood fire.
What does Stage 1 fire restriction prohibit?
Building, maintaining, attending or using any fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove, including inside developed campgrounds and improved sites. Smoking is limited to enclosed vehicles, buildings and cleared areas. Fireworks are prohibited throughout Yavapai County on both public and private land.
Can you have a campfire in a Prescott campground in summer?
No. This is the detail people miss: Stage 1 restrictions apply inside developed campgrounds too, so the fire ring at your site is off limits even though it is a built fire ring. Bring a propane stove.
Does a fire ban affect a hot tub?
No. A hot tub has no open flame, so it is unaffected by any fire restriction stage. In practice that makes it the only outdoor thing left to do after dark during a ban, which is why it matters more here in July than people expect.
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