NY’s burn ban goes into effect from March 16 to May 14
File photo by Tom Rivers: Adam Blosenhauer of the Murray Joint Fire District is on the scene of a brush fire on Hindsburg Road in Murray on April 10, 2023.
The state will have a ban on residential brush burning from March 16 to May 14 due to the increased risk of wildfires.
The burn ban went into immediate effect in parts of the state after wildfires in Long Island last weekend. That earlier ban included Long Island, New York City and parts of the Hudson Valley.
The ban goes state-wide on March 16. Since 2009, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has enforced the annual brush burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires.
When temperatures warm and the past fall’s debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation, the DEC said.
Small backyard fire pits ad campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires.
People should never leave these fires unattended and must extinguish them, the DEC said. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State.
