Outdoor burning rules in Rensselaer County, NY — also called the burn ban, open burning, or fire restriction ordinance — set when you can burn yard waste, debris, or run a recreational fire.
Open burning heavily restricted under 6 NYCRR Part 215. Statewide residential brush burn ban March 15 through May 15. Towns with population over 20,000 (including City of Troy) ban residential open burning entirely.
In Rensselaer County, the City of Troy and City of Rensselaer prohibit open burning year-round. In smaller towns (Brunswick, Grafton, Berlin, Poestenkill, Nassau), residential burning of untreated wood and tree debris from own property is allowed outside the March 15-May 15 window. Burning garbage, leaves, grass, or treated wood is always prohibited. DEC permits required for larger agricultural or land-clearing burns.
DEC violations: 500 dollar first offense, up to 11,500 dollars for repeat/severe. Possible criminal charges if fire spreads.
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See how Rensselaer County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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