New York Brush Burning Ban Returns March 16, Runs Through May 14

New York's annual statewide residential brush burning ban took effect March 16 and runs through May 14, a two-month prohibition the state Department of Environmental Conservation has enforced every spring since 2009 to reduce wildfire risk across the region.

DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the ban alongside a reminder that open burning of debris remains the leading cause of spring wildfires in New York. "Many of us are looking forward to spring weather after a very cold winter, but with the warming temperatures comes increased fire risk," Lefton said. "That's why we're once again asking all New Yorkers to abide by the two-month-long burn ban. The more careful you are with fire, the better we can protect our communities and natural resources as well as our Forest Rangers and firefighters across the state."

The ban prohibits burning sticks, branches, leaves, brush, household trash, treated wood, and large debris piles. Burn barrels for solid waste incineration are also off-limits. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York regardless of the seasonal ban, and the spring restriction applies even in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents that are otherwise permitted to burn small brush during the rest of the year.

Violators face criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. Both DEC Forest Rangers and local volunteer fire departments share enforcement responsibility.

Not everything is prohibited. Backyard fire pits and campfires smaller than 3 feet high and 4 feet in length, width, or diameter remain allowed, as do small cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated or unpainted wood may be burned in them. Ceremonial or celebratory bonfires, including the disposal of flags or religious items, are permitted as long as they are not otherwise prohibited by law. Open fires on agricultural land larger than 5 acres fall outside the ban's scope entirely. DEC officials urge anyone using a permitted fire to keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby and never leave flames unattended.

The stakes are not abstract for Long Island. Last spring, more than 80 Long Island fire departments, including units from Riverhead, Greenport, Orient, Shelter Island, and Cutchogue, responded to massive brush fires that were allegedly sparked when a Manorville family gathered in their backyard for s'mores. Flames tore through the pine barrens between Center Moriches and Westhampton Beach, with strong winds and damage from the southern pine beetle accelerating the spread. A separate string of wildfires burned near Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach around the same time. In the most acute moment of last year's crisis, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for Long Island, New York City, and parts of the Hudson Valley on March 9, 2025, authorizing rapid deployment of ground and air firefighting resources.

Each year, DEC Forest Rangers respond to dozens of wildfires that burn hundreds of acres statewide. The agency attributes the seasonal surge to the same conditions arriving now: warming temperatures dry out leaves and brush that accumulated through fall, and strong winds with low humidity can carry flames across large stretches of land quickly, even in areas that appear damp or still snow-covered.

Full details on the ban and fire safety guidance are available at dec.ny.gov, including the DEC's FIREWISE New York webpage and the New York State Fire Danger Ratings map, which is updated daily.