Is it possible to burn branches on your property or in the garden?

Burning branches on the property or in the garden - what do the rules say in 2024? Is it allowed to burn branches on the property? Can there be a fine for this? This is worth knowing, because it is known that after pruning trees and shrubs, a lot of branches remain and it is not entirely clear what to do with them. Burning is the easiest way to get rid of them.

Burning branches on the property or in the garden - what do the rules say in 2024? Is it allowed to burn branches on the property? Can there be a fine for this? This is worth knowing, because it is known that after pruning trees and shrubs, a lot of branches remain and it is not entirely clear what to do with them. Burning is the easiest way to get rid of them.

Pruning ornamental shrubs that bloom in late spring and summer

Anyone who owns a plot of land knows how much waste nature produces. Leaves, branches, pine needles are natural waste that remains after harvesting work, as well as after strong winds. The collected leaves are quite easy to pack into plastic organic waste bags and put out for cleaning. But what about the branches? Putting them in bags is not so easy. Not everyone has a wood chipper.

Is it possible to burn branches on your own property? What do the 2024 rules say?

The rules clearly state that it is forbidden to burn plant residues. The prohibition applies regardless of whether the site is our recreational plot, a home garden or a family garden (ROD). At the same time, in the case of garden plots, the burning of biowaste is prohibited by the ROD regulations itself, which in § 68, paragraph 5 prohibits the burning of any waste and plant residues on the ROD territory.

Burning branches on the site and neighbors

Another thing to remember is that you don't want to create an excessive amount of smoke or stench, which is something that can't be achieved with bonfire burning. When lighting a fire, you should keep in mind your neighbors, who may simply be disturbed by it. They have the right to protect themselves - even in court - from emissions, that is, from the smell and smoke from the fire. They may also come to our attention and ask us to stop such activities.

If, on the other hand, smoke enters the street in such quantities that it limits the visibility of drivers and threatens safety, police or city security can be expected to intervene.

You can’t burn branches or leaves on your property, but can you make a fire?

It turns out that the combustion of biowaste, i.e. branches are prohibited, and lighting a fire on your property is not. And here we can bypass the rules, because when lighting a fire for relaxation, we will get rid of unnecessary branches, provided that we do not create smoke in the area and do this in compliance with fire safety rules.

Fire lighting and fire protection

According to the Decree of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of June 7, 2010 on fire protection (Journal of Laws No. 109, pos. 719, Dz. U. Nr 109, poz. 719), it is prohibited to carry out activities that could cause a fire or its spread, in particular :

- lighting a fire or pouring hot ash and slag in a place where flammable materials may ignite (§ 4 ust. 1 pkt 5),

- storage of flammable materials, including plant debris, branches and brushwood, outside buildings at a distance of less than 4 m from the border of the adjacent plot (§ 4 ust. 1 pkt 6),

- using an open fire and smoking tobacco at a distance of less than 10 m from the threshing site and places where flammable agricultural products are located (§ 41 ust. 3),

- carrying out activities that may cause a fire hazard (including lighting fires in places not designated for this purpose) in forests and wooded areas, meadows, peat bogs, as well as at a distance of 100 m from the forest boundary (§ 40 ust. 1 ).

Therefore, if there are no violations of the above rules and appropriate precautions, starting a fire at the facility will not constitute a violation of fire safety rules.

According to art. 13 ust. 3, the burning of accumulated plant residues outside installations and devices is permitted if the commune does not carry out selective collection or collection of biodegradable waste and its burning does not violate certain rules.

Therefore, if you want to light a fire, use only well-dried wood (with a moisture content of no more than 20%), which will emit a minimum amount of smoke into the atmosphere. It is also best to refrain from lighting fires during periods of significant air pollution with smog. And always consider the interests of your neighbors.

Source: website muratordom.pl