Can I burn branches or rubbish in the countryside?
No during the fire season; conditional out of season. Under Fire Service Decree 9/2024 (Gazette B' 2387/22 Apr 2024, replacing PD 9/2021), during the fire season (1 May–31 October) all use of fire in the open is banned — burning branches, residue, dry grass or rubbish — regardless of the daily risk. Out of season (1 Nov–30 Apr), residue burning is allowed without a fire-service permit if all precautions are met. Exceptional agricultural burning (on low-risk days) needs a DAOK permit and 72-hour notice to the Fire Service. Burning rubbish/waste is banned year-round. In short: in summer no; in winter only with strict precautions.
📋 The rules
- Fire season 1 May–31 Oct: no open fire
- Out of season: residue burning without a permit, with precautions
- Exceptional agricultural burning: DAOK permit + 72-hour notice
- Precautions: ≥3 m firebreak, water/tools, no wind, supervision
- Burning rubbish is banned year-round
🔓 Exceptions
- Out of the fire season: residue burning with precautions
- Agricultural burning on low-risk days: with a DAOK permit
- Pruning-residue piles in permanent crops: banned 1 May–31 Oct
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Illegal burning is fined with administrative fines up to €50,000 (PD 19/2024), with a €1,500 minimum widely cited. If the fire is caused by intent or negligence, it's prosecuted as arson (Penal Code art. 265), a felony in the gravest cases. Note: don't cite the old PD 9/2021 — it's repealed, replaced by PD 9/2024. To stay compliant: don't light fire in the open from 1 May to 31 October; out of season, burn residue only with a firebreak ≥3 m, water/tools at hand, on a windless day and with constant supervision; for agricultural burning get a DAOK permit and notify the Fire Service 72 hours ahead; and never burn rubbish.
📎 Official sources
- Fire Service Decree 9/2024 (Gazette B' 2387/2024) →
- PD 19/2024 (Gazette B' 2550) — fine framework →
- General Secretariat for Civil Protection →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I burn branches in summer?
No. During the fire season, from 1 May to 31 October, all use of fire in the open is banned — burning branches, residue, dry grass or rubbish — regardless of the daily fire-risk index. Burning is allowed only out of this season, with precautions.
When is residue burning allowed?
Out of the fire season, i.e. from 1 November to 30 April, residue burning is allowed without a fire-service permit, if all precautions are met: a firebreak of at least 3 metres, water and tools at hand, a windless day and constant supervision until fully extinguished.
Do I need a permit for agricultural burning?
For exceptional agricultural burning, on low-risk days, you need a permit from the DAOK and 72-hour notice to the Fire Service. Without these approvals and outside the allowed conditions, the burning is illegal and brings fines and possible criminal liability.
Can I burn rubbish?
No. Burning rubbish and waste is banned all year round, regardless of season. It's a separate ban from that on burning plant residue, for environmental and public-health reasons, and breaching it is fined.
What fine do I risk?
Illegal burning is fined with administrative fines up to €50,000, with a widely cited minimum of around €1,500. If the fire is caused by intent or negligence, it's prosecuted as arson (Penal Code art. 265), which in the gravest cases is a felony.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “burning branches fire season greece”
- “fire service decree 9/2024”
- “fine open burning 50000”
- “agricultural burning permit daok”
- “burning rubbish banned”
- “fire countryside 1 may 31 october”