Suffolk County Burn Bans Rules (2026) — What You Need to Know

New York State enacted 6 NYCRR Part 215 effective October 14, 2009, prohibiting virtually all open burning with limited exceptions. Burning of refuse, trash, tires, loose leaves or leaf piles, and treated, painted, or stained wood (including plywood and particle board) is illegal year-round anywhere in the state, including all of Suffolk County. There is no exception for burn barrels.

The annual statewide burn ban runs from March 16 through May 14 each year, a period when dry conditions and gusty spring winds dramatically increase wildfire risk. During this period, even the limited brush-burning exemption available to small rural towns (populations under 20,000) is suspended. Suffolk County towns all exceed that population threshold, so brush burning is not permitted in any Suffolk County town at any time of year.

Suffolk County adds another layer of regulation through Chapter 490 (Local Law No. 8-2007), which bans the sale, purchase, construction, or installation of new outdoor wood-burning furnaces. Existing furnaces that were in use before January 1, 2010 may only be operated during emergencies or natural disasters that make other heating impossible. Once alternative heating becomes available, use of the outdoor furnace must cease. The Office of Consumer Affairs enforces the sales ban, while the Suffolk County Police Department and local town police enforce the operating restrictions.

Governor Hochul has periodically issued early or extended burn bans for Long Island and the Hudson Valley in response to drought conditions and active brush fires in Suffolk County, underscoring the seriousness of fire prevention in this region.