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New York Campfire Rules (2026)
Permitted: Campfires and small cooking fires under 3 ft high and 4 ft wide are allowed statewide year-round, using only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, unpainted wood.
Campfires and small cooking fires under 3 ft high and 4 ft wide are allowed statewide year-round, using only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, unpainted wood. Never leave unattended; check the fire danger map and local rules first.
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Campfire Rules in states bordering New York
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- ConnecticutConditional
Campfires/bonfires aren't defined by CT statute, but many towns require a permit and set size/setback rules. Burn only clean unprocessed wood; fire must not create a nuisance. Check your local Open Burning Official or Fire Marshal.
Verified Jun 18, 2026 · Source: portal.ct.gov · Full Connecticut rule →
- MassachusettsConditional
Outdoor cooking fires are allowed year-round statewide. Recreational (non-cooking) fire pits are treated as open burning and subject to season/permit limits; cooking fire pits must be kept reasonable in size, in a non-flammable enclosure, away from combustibles, and tended by an adult 18+.
Verified Jun 18, 2026 · Source: mass.gov · Full Massachusetts rule →
- New JerseyConditional
Recreational fires are allowed without prior notification, but designated campsites/fires must be ≥30 ft from grass-, brush- or forest-covered areas. Campfires can be banned under Stage restrictions during high fire danger.
Verified Jun 18, 2026 · Source: dep.nj.gov · Full New Jersey rule →
- PennsylvaniaConditional
Campfires are allowed in fire rings that confine the fire in designated campgrounds. On state forest lands, fires in rings/fireplaces are prohibited March 1–May 25 and whenever forest-fire danger is high, very high, or extreme.
Verified Jun 18, 2026 · Source: pa.gov · Full Pennsylvania rule →
- VermontConditional
A burn permit from the Town Forest Fire Warden is required for open burning; small recreational/cooking campfires are commonly allowed, but wardens can ban open burning during high fire danger. State parks have their own designated-fire-pit rules.
Verified Jun 18, 2026 · Source: fpr.vermont.gov · Full Vermont rule →
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