Question:  What are the regulations on burning leaves?

Answer:  City ordinances allow the burning on “landscape waste” only under certain specified conditions.  “Landscape waste” is defined as any vegetable or plant refuse, excluding garbage and agricultural waste. The term includes leaves, trees, tree trimmings, branches, stumps, shrubbery, brush, weeds, grass, and yard trimmings.

Residents of the city may burn landscape waste between April 1 through October 1 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from eight o'clock (8:00) A.M. until six o'clock (6:00) P.M.

From October 2 through March 31 landscape waste may only be burned on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, from eight o'clock (8:00) A.M. until five o'clock (5:00) P.M.

Any landscape waste that is burned must be attended to by the individual conducting the landscape waste burn and must be burned until the fire is completely out. Burning may only be conducted on concrete or brick streets or on concrete, brick, or paved areas of a citizen’s property. The burning area must be located at least fifty feet (50’) from any structure. The individual conducting the burn must have an operable hose, of sufficient size and capacity to extinguish the fire, available at the burning site at all times. Landscape waste must be burned in the open and shall not be contained in any barrel or other similar device.

Any police officer or firefighter of the City of Lincoln, or the Lincoln Building and Safety Officer, may require any fire being burned to be extinguished if, in that official’s opinion, such fire and the related smoke are injurious to the health or safety of any other citizens of the city. If so requested, any individual conducting the burn shall immediately extinguish such fire.

Any violation of these provisions is punishable by a fine of not less than twenty five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense; fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second offense; and seventy five dollars ($75.00) for the third offense within a calendar year. Any offense beyond the third offense in a calendar year shall result in a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500.00). (Please see 5-3-4 of the City Code.)

The Lincoln Fire Department recommends that if you wish to burn leaves and landscape waste, be considerate to your neighbors and observe wind conditions so as not to burn towards structures or create road hazards with heavy smoke. Use caution around dry vegetation and pine trees as they can ignite easily and a fire can get out of control.

The best and safest solution for handling landscape waste is to take it to the City’s landscape waste facility on Broadwell Drive. It is open in the fall and accepts leaves and landscape waste at no charge.