New York, NY Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

New York City is a fully built-out urban environment without wildland-urban-interface fire-hazard-severity zones, so there is no local defensible-space brush-clearance statute analogous to California Public Resources Code Section 4291. Overgrown lots, high weeds and accumulated combustible debris are addressed through the City's property-maintenance, sanitation and weeds/vacant-lot enforcement rather than a fire-hazard clearance ordinance. Critically, brush and yard waste cleared from a property generally cannot be burned: 6 NYCRR Section 215.2 prohibits open burning of materials statewide except for the narrow 215.3 exceptions, and the NYSDEC confirms that burning loose leaves, leaf piles and trash is not allowed. NYC Administrative Code Section 24-149 separately bans open fires that emit air contaminants. Accordingly, cleared brush, leaves and limbs in the five boroughs must be bagged, composted, mulched or set out for collection, not burned.