State DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos discusses annual statewide burn ban (March 2023)
The annual statewide burn ban starts March 16 and runs through May 14.
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said the DEC has enforced the annual brush burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires.
He said the open burning of debris, like leaves and brush, are the largest cause of wildfires in New York State and that it was a pervasive problem until the burn ban was instituted in 2009, “Which dropped the prevalence of these spring fires by 40%. You think about the cold weather, obviously the snow is here, the snow will be here next week. Nonetheless, we’re at the point of the year when much of the state will become exposed to the elements. It’s very dry. The temperatures heat up. The conditions become ripe for these kinds of fires. And once these fires start in backyards, they can really take off.”
Seggos said the goal is to protect lives, property, and the safety of first responders.
The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur.
Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave these fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State.
The DEC will post the Fire Danger Map for the 2023 fire season on DEC’s website once there is a moderate risk anywhere in New York.burn
Forest Rangers, DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs), and local authorities enforce the burn ban. Violators of the State’s open burning regulation are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense.
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