Small recreational backyard fires are legal under DEC rules if kept under three feet high and four feet across and fueled only by clean wood or charcoal. Trash and brush burning are separately restricted or banned.
A backyard campfire or cooking fire is allowed in Erie County under 6 NYCRR Part 215 as long as it stays no more than three feet high and four feet in length, width, or diameter and burns only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, unpainted wood. This applies year-round and is not subject to the March 16 to May 14 brush-burning ban, but you may never burn garbage, leaves, or brush. Fires must be attended with water or an extinguisher on hand. There is no countywide ordinance; the City of Buffalo and individual towns may impose setbacks from structures and lot lines and can ban recreational fires during dry or windy conditions. Confirm local rules first.
Oversized fires, prohibited fuels, or unattended fires can draw DEC penalties and local nuisance or fire-code citations; amounts vary by municipality and enforcement action.
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Erie County, NY
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See how Erie County's backyard fires rules stack up against other locations.
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