7 rules for unincorporated Broome County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational fire pits allowed in unincorporated Broome County under NY DEC 6 NYCRR Part 215. Fire must be under 3 ft diameter and 2 ft high, fueled only by charcoal or clean dry wood.
Consumer fireworks prohibited in Broome County. Sparkling devices (ground-based sparklers) are legal in Broome County under NY Penal Law 270.00 amendment as county opted in.
No countywide defensible space ordinance. NY DEC recommends clearing vegetation 30 ft from structures in wildland-urban interface areas but this is not mandated for Broome County residential properties.
New York State imposes an annual residential brush-burning prohibition from March 16 through May 14, which applies to Broome County. Outside that window, Broome County regulates outdoor burning under its Code Article V §305-22 and NYS DEC's open-burning rules (6 NYCRR Part 215), which permanently ban burning trash, leaves, and treated wood statewide.
6 NYCRR Part 215 (Open Burning)
Open burning is regulated under Part 215 . Part 215 describes the types of fires that are allowed and the materials that may be burned in an open fire. Towns, villages, cities, and counties can pass ordinances that are stricter than Part 215. You should check with local authorities before having an open fire to find out if local law requires a permit or prohibits open fires. What Can I Burn? Th...
Broome County is not designated a high wildfire hazard area. NY DEC monitors fire danger seasonally, and the county's Southern Tier climate and heavily wooded topography produces primarily spring brush-fire risk, not crown-fire wildfire. No Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building code applies in Binghamton, Johnson City, Vestal, or Endicott.
NY Executive Law §378 and 19 NYCRR Part 1225 require 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms in all residences sold or leased after April 1, 2019. CO alarms are required under Amanda's Law in all residences with fuel-fired appliances or attached garages. Broome County follows NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
Small recreational backyard fires are permitted in Broome County towns subject to NY DEC Part 215 rules. Cooking fires are exempt from burn restrictions. Fires must be in an approved container with a spark screen, under 3 ft high and 4 ft in diameter, and supervised until fully extinguished. The annual state brush-burn ban runs March 16 to May 14.
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