Outdoor burning rules in Ulster 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.
NY DEC Part 215 prohibits residential brush burning statewide from March 16 through May 14 each year. Trash burning (leaves, garbage, household waste) is illegal year-round. Minimum $500 fine for first offense.
6 NYCRR Part 215 bans open burning of brush across New York from March 16 to May 14 annually — the peak wildfire window. Burning household garbage, leaves, and construction debris is illegal year-round statewide. Ulster County is heavily forested (Catskills Forest Preserve covers ~half the county), making spring burn-ban enforcement especially important. Allowed outside the ban window: on-site burning of agricultural waste on farms 5+ acres; campfires under 3 ft high and 4 ft wide using charcoal or clean untreated wood; ceremonial/cooking fires. Individual towns (e.g., Woodstock, New Paltz) may be stricter.
Minimum $500 fine for first Part 215 violation; subsequent offenses escalate. Causing a wildfire can trigger criminal charges and full suppression-cost liability, which in Catskills terrain can exceed $100,000.
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See how Ulster County's outdoor burning rules stack up against other locations.
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