What's Okay to Burn?

OK to burn

  • Natural vegetation
  • Grass, leaves, needles
  • Garden waste
  • Shrub and tree trimmings
  • Stubble (please visit the Agricultural Burning section for details)
  • Logging/thinning slash
  • Some household waste consisting of paper and cardboard if no residential trash pick-up service is available.

Please, consider recycling or composting before burning these items.  Also note that none of the above items are OK to burn residentially if they are trade waste (bi-products resulting from a trade or business).

NOT OK to burn

  • Plastics
  • Tires and other rubber materials
  • Paint
  • Tar and petroleum products
  • Vehicles or materials from vehicles
  • Preservative treated lumber or timbers
  • Railroad ties
  • Insulated wire
  • Hazardous waste
  • Trade waste (commercial, industrial, or construction bi-products)
  • Pathogenic (disease causing) waste
  • Garbage from food preparation
  • Dead animals or animal waste
  • Asphalt

Think green, recycle!

Related Links

To learn more about Idaho's guidelines for open outdoor burning of residential solid waste, read the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality's Light it Right brochure.