Can You Burn Leaves In New York State?

The sweet smell of leaves in the fall! There are some days that just feel and smell perfect here in New York State. But there are some smells that signal a warning for officials around the Empire State.

I am going to sound old here. But I remember when we were kids that many people would burn leaves in their yard. In October and November, it was not uncommon to see a person burning leaf piles at the curb in some villages around Western New York. But what about these days? Is that something people do or can they even do it legally?

As of October 26th, the fire risk in New York State was LOW. That's a good start. But each municipality has it's own laws and guidance when it comes to open burning. In New York State, there is an annual BURN BAN that takes place in the spring.

Annual burn ban in effect from March 16 through May 14. Open burning is the single greatest cause of wildfires in NYS. Since the spring burn ban was implemented in 2009, the number of wildfires has decreased by more than 40%.

Keep in mind, there is also a TRASH BURN BAN and it covers all of New York State. Not only does burning trash have negative envoironmental impacts, it also smells horrible and stinks for your neighbors.