By order of Sheriff Darren Weekly, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place for unincorporated areas of Douglas County. Ordinance No. O-012-004 restricts open fires, open burning, and the use of fireworks in the unincorporated areas of Douglas County. Additional information on fire restrictions stages can be located at the Douglas County Emergency Management website.
Douglas County, the Douglas County School District, the Sheriff’s Office and regional partners work together to encourage student safety
Posted on August 14, 2025 2025News and EventsPublic Safety
Did you know that 61,000 students started school in Douglas County this week? For perspective, about 76,000 fans pack Empower Field at Mile High when the Denver Broncos take the field. That’s a lot of students heading back to school – and it takes all of us to keep them safe on their way.
Douglas County traffic engineers, the Douglas County School District, the Sheriff’s Office, and regional partners work together to ensure that students have safe routes to school. We can all do our part by following a few safety guidelines.
Drivers who drop off children or travel through school zones should:
Students who walk, bike, or skate to school are asked to follow these simple steps:
-Choose a safe route to walk to school with less traffic and fewer intersections, avoid crossing busy or high-speed streets, and limit the number of streets crossed.
-Look for traffic at every driveway and intersection. Be aware of drivers in parked cars that may be getting ready to move.
-Obey all traffic signs and signals, push pedestrian push buttons at signals, and wait to walk across the street until no traffic is coming. Listen to crossing guards if present, and walk, don’t run, bike or skate across the street.
Carpooling helps reduce traffic, lets kids meet new friends and helps parents save time. The Denver Regional Council of Governments’ Way to Go program offers SchoolPool to connect you with your community. Learn more on their website.
There are active construction sites near school zones all year long. We have launched a new interactive map to help you identify the impacts where you live or on your commute. You can also find details on this year’s construction projects by visiting our Cone Zone webpage. If you live in Highlands Ranch, visit our webpage for information on neighborhood roadwork.
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