Greenwich, CT Fire Regulations: Outdoor Burning (2026)

Section 8-8, titled Open burning restrictions, sits inside Chapter 8, Pollution, and works in two steps. Subsection (a) prohibits burning tree leaves and yard rakings in such manner as to cause nuisance, detriment or annoyance to any person, property or the public, tying back to the Section 8-2(4) definition of nuisance covering smoke, soot, odors and other emissions that endanger comfort, health or safety. Subsection (b) is broader still: it prohibits all open burning of leaves and yard rakings outright wherever and whenever any other means of disposal is available or practicable.

Because the Town runs a seasonal curbside leaf collection program each fall under Section 8A-13 of the Recycling chapter, and because the Holly Hill transfer station accepts yard waste, an available alternative to burning exists across virtually all of Greenwich for most of the year, which leaves subsection (b) doing most of the practical work. The rule dates to the Town's original 1968 pollution ordinance and has not been separately amended since. The Director of Health enforces Chapter 8 under Section 8-3, including investigating complaints and inspecting property, and any person cited for an open burn can appeal to the Board of Health within five days of notice under Section 8-4, which must schedule a hearing within thirty days of receiving the appeal.