Fire Prevention

Who should I notify if I have a fire alarm system?

If you have a fire and/or burglar alarm system installed in your home or place of business that is, located in Yates County, you are required by Yates County Local Law 2-02 to register the alarm system with the Yates County 911 Center. Call 315-536-3033 or 1-866-308-3225 for more information.

Who should I notify if I accidentally trip my fire alarm system and there is no real problem?

If you accidentally trip a fire alarm system in your home or place of business and there is no real problem call the Yates County 911 center at 315-536-3033 or 1-866-308-3225 tell the dispatcher what happened. It is very likely that the fire department will still respond, but the dispatcher will be able to update the responding units.

What rules pertain to controlled burning?

Effective on October 14, 2009, all open burning is prohibited in New York with several exceptions, including the following:

• •Campfires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in length, width or diameter are allowed.
• •Small cooking fires are allowed.
• •Fires cannot be left unattended and must be fully extinguished.
• •Only charcoal or clean, dry, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned.
• •Ceremonial or celebratory bonfires are allowed.

In towns with a total population less than 20,000 (This includes the Towns of Middlesex and Italy), you may burn tree limbs with attached leaves. The limbs must be less than 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length (also referred to as brush). However, this is not allowed from March 16 through May 14 due to the increased risk of wildfires.

You may only burn brush that is yours and came from your property, it is an NYS Environmental Conservation (Encon) regulation violation to transport debris to your property for the purpose of burning.

It is also an Encon regulation violation for a business or individual to burn debris of a commercial business.

You may NOT burn leaves. It is encouraged that you compost leaves instead.

You may NOT burn household garbage. Burning trash is now prohibited statewide in all areas.

The burn must be attended at all times. In the event your burn becomes out of control call 911 immediately to request the fire department.

Abandoned structures or other unique burns are subject to Encon and fire department approval and have very specific rules.

Open burning is never allowed within any incorporated village including the Villages of Penn Yan, Rushville, Dundee, and Dresden.

This FAQ is not intended to cover all possible scenarios for controlled burning. See NYSDEC Regulations website at www.dec.ny.gov and/or a DEC officer for more information.

Who should I notify if I want to burn something?

If you are planning a controlled burn at your residence, and one of the exceptions above applies, you should first call the Yates County 911 Center.  The phone number to report controlled burns is 315-536-3033 or 1-866-308-3225.  By notifying the dispatch center of your plan to burn material, it lessens the chances of an unnecessary fire department response to your location.