Can I burn leaves in my garden in Czechia?
No — since 1 March 2025 burning leaves, grass and garden waste in open fires is banned nationwide. The Air Protection Act amendment abolished the old municipal exceptions ("burning days") — none exist anymore. Violations cost individuals up to CZK 50,000, businesses up to 500,000. Where the bio-waste goes instead: the brown bin, the collection yard (municipalities must provide year-round collection) or your compost. Recreational fires remain legal — a campfire or sausage roast burning dry, uncontaminated wood; tossing wet leaves on it breaches the ban. Dry pruned twigs on a campfire sit on the grey line — what decides is whether you're burning wood or disposing of waste as smoke across the fence.
📋 The rules
- Since 1 Mar 2025: nationwide ban on burning plant waste (leaves, grass, tops)
- No municipal exceptions — burning days are over
- Fine: up to CZK 50,000 (individuals), up to 500,000 (businesses)
- Recreational fires legal: dry, clean wood (campfire, BBQ)
- Bio-waste: brown bin, collection yard, compost
🔓 Exceptions
- Campfires/BBQ with dry wood — outside the ban (mind drought bans and the 50 m forest rule)
- Forestry brushwood burning in forests: its own regime with fire-service notification
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Burning garden waste: fines up to CZK 50,000 (municipality/environmental inspectorate), up to 500,000 for businesses. Smoke nuisance additionally triggers neighbour law (§ 1013 Civil Code).
📎 Official sources
- Dostupný advokát · Burning grass and leaves — the rules (CS) →
- Deník.cz · Bio-waste burning: rules and fines (CS) →
- EnviWeb · The ban vs. sausage roasting (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
Does the ban really apply everywhere?
Yes — nationwide since 1 March 2025; municipalities can no longer grant exceptions.
Can I still have a campfire?
Yes — recreational fires with dry, clean wood are legal; just don't dispose of leaves and garden waste on them.
Where do the leaves go?
The brown bio-bin, the collection yard (municipalities must provide one) or your own compost.
What about dry pruned branches?
Dry wood on a campfire passes; mass-burning prunings as waste crosses the line — chip them or haul them away.
My neighbour burns leaves. What can I do?
Call the municipal office or the environmental inspectorate (air-law violation) — and smoke nuisance supports a neighbour lawsuit too.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “burning leaves ban czech republic”
- “garden waste fire czechia 2025”
- “burn branches czech law”
- “leaf burning fine czech”
- “bio waste rules czechia”