8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Suffolk County, New York.
Verified from official government sources
Suffolk County does not regulate backyard recreational fires county-wide; jurisdiction falls to New York State open-burning law (6 NYCRR Part 215) and the individual towns (Brookhaven, Islip, Babylon, Huntington, etc.) under their own Town Code. State law caps recreational fires at 3 feet high by 4 feet wide and limits fuel to clean, untreated wood or charcoal, and bans residential open burning entirely between March 16 and May 14 each year.
6 NYCRR Part 215 (NYS DEC 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? The...
Suffolk County opted in to the 2015 NY State sparkler law and allows the sale and use of ground-based sparkling devices (sparklers, fountains, snakes) to persons 18 and older. All aerial, exploding, and consumer-grade fireworks remain illegal statewide under NY Penal Law 270.00. Neighboring Nassau County has opted out and still bans sparklers.
Suffolk County sits within the Central Pine Barrens, one of the highest wildfire-risk regions in the Northeast. The Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission and NYSDEC require defensible space around structures in the Core Preservation Area. Property owners are generally expected to maintain 30 feet of clearance around homes with reduced fuel loads.
Suffolk County follows the NYSDEC statewide burn ban under 6 NYCRR Part 215, which prohibits all residential open burning from March 16 through May 14 each year. Outside that window, open burning of brush is also prohibited in Suffolk County because every town exceeds the 20,000-population threshold that would otherwise allow it.
Central Long Island is classified as a high wildfire-risk area by NYSDEC and the US Forest Service due to the Pine Barrens pitch pine and scrub oak ecosystem. Major fires include the 1995 Sunrise Wildfire (5,500 acres) and the 2012 Crescent Bow Fire. Suffolk County towns within or adjacent to the Pine Barrens enforce stricter ignition-source rules during red-flag warnings.
All Suffolk County residences must have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors under the NY Uniform Code and Amanda Law. Since April 2019, any newly installed or replacement battery-powered smoke alarm in NY must be a sealed 10-year lithium battery unit. Rentals require landlord-installed detectors before occupancy.
Backyard recreational fires are allowed in Suffolk County when contained in a proper pit or device, kept under 3 feet in diameter, attended at all times, and at least 15 feet from any structure or property line. Burning yard waste, trash, or construction debris in a backyard fire is prohibited by NYSDEC and local code.
Propane storage in Suffolk County is governed by the New York Uniform Fire Code (Title 19 NYCRR) and NFPA 58. Residential tanks have setback, capacity, and permit rules enforced by town fire marshals.
4 cities in Suffolk County have their own fire regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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