Fire codes

Colorado Fire Code & Departments

Mid-cycle adoption (2021) on the International Fire Code (IFC) track - 477 departments in the HIFLD roster.

International Fire Code (IFC) Adopted 2021

International Fire Code (IFC)

Colorado adopts the IFC through the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. Local amendments common in Denver and mountain communities.

International Fire Code (IFC) · fires rank #25 of 51

Colorado adopts International Fire Code (IFC) (2021), shared by 33 of 51 states in this extract. 477 fire departments; the state ranks #25 of 51 nationally by annual fires (USFA).

  • Annual-fires rank #25 of 51 nationally
  • 33 of 51 states share this code type
  • 49 career / 225 volunteer depts
477
Fire Departments
14,812
Total Personnel
225
Volunteer Depts
49
Career Depts

Largest Fire Departments in Colorado

#1
Denver Fire Department
Denver
909 personnel
#2
Colorado Springs Fire Department Complex
Colorado Springs
490 personnel
#3
West Metro Fire Protection District
Lakewood
385 personnel
#4
Aurora Fire Department
Aurora
344 personnel
#5
South Metro Fire Rescue
Englewood
232 personnel
View all 477 departments in Colorado →

Colorado: mid-cycle code desk

Mid-cycle vintage (2021) on the International Fire Code (IFC) track. 33 of 51 states share the family. Expect comments citing both the state floor and newer local amendments.

Enforcement capacity is mixed: 49 career and 225 volunteer departments (18% career among typed orgs), totaling 14,812 personnel. Expect urban career offices to carry denser inspection calendars while volunteer districts lean on the state fire marshal for complex reviews. Largest roster in-state: Denver Fire Department (909 personnel, 6.1% of the state total).

USFA annual-fires rank for Colorado is #25 of 51 (~29,000 fires/year ; 55 fire deaths; 230 injuries). Pair that incident load with the adoption vintage above when judging how hard the code is tested in the field. Figures: HIFLD Open Data ( FEMA / U.S. Fire Administration ), USFA published statistics, and state code-adoption records in this portal's extract.

Same International Fire Code (IFC) family: nearest adoption peers

  • AL · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • AR · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • DC · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • GA · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • IL · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • MD · adopted 2021 (same model year)

Frequently Asked Questions

What fire code does Colorado use?
Colorado adopts the International Fire Code (IFC) (adopted 2021). Colorado adopts the IFC through the Division of Fire Prevention and Control. Local amendments common in Denver and mountain communities.
How current is Colorado's adopted fire code?
Colorado shows adoption year 2021 in this extract (mid-cycle band, 2019–2021). Local amendments can still tighten sprinkler or wildland rules beyond the statewide floor.
How many fire departments are in Colorado?
Colorado has 477 fire departments registered in the HIFLD database, including 49 career departments and 225 volunteer departments with 14,812 total personnel.
How does Colorado's fire load compare nationally?
USFA ranks Colorado #25 of 51 by annual fires (~29,000 fires/year in this extract). Pair that load with the adoption vintage and department mix on this page, high-load states stress code enforcement differently than low-load peers on the same code family.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData

Keep reading: Methodology (HIFLD + USFA join notes for this extract).