NY State's annual ban on outdoor burning starts March 16

New York State's annual ban on the outdoor burning of residential brush begins Saturday, March 16, and will be in effect through Tuesday, May 14, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Fires in backyard pits are allowed, as are campfires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in length, width or diameter. Small cooking fires also are allowed.

The brush-burning ban, which aims to reduce the risk of wildfires, has been enforced in New York every spring since 2009.

Open burning is the greatest cause of wildfires in New York. Since the spring ban was implemented 15 years ago, wildfires in the state have decreased by more than 40%, according to the DEC.

The DEC’s complete statement about the 2024 burn ban is posted at tinyurl.com/NYSDEC-burn.