Can I build a campfire in the forest in Luxembourg?
No — you do not light a fire in the forest. The forest law of 23 August 2023, in force since 1 October 2023, lays down a clear rule: it is forbidden to light a fire in the forest, except in specially fitted-out areas set aside for it. This covers the campfire just as much as the wild barbecue, the sky lantern or the naked-flame stove set on the forest floor. The rule applies to all forests, public and private, and bites all the harder in a drought, when wildfire risk is high. A barbecue is only possible on an equipped, authorised picnic area, and never in strong wind or under a temporary ban. The myth: "a small, well-controlled fire is tolerated" — false: the law draws no distinction by size; outside a fitted-out site every fire in the forest is banned, and whoever starts a wildfire answers for the damage.
📋 The rules
- Baseline ban: lighting a fire in the forest is forbidden except on a specially fitted-out site (forest law of 23 August 2023).
- Broad scope: the ban covers campfires, barbecues, naked-flame stoves and sky lanterns, in all forests, public and private.
- Barbecues: allowed only on an equipped, authorised picnic area, following the posted instructions.
- Drought: in periods of high risk, reinforced temporary bans can be imposed and even the smallest fire is prohibited.
- Outside the forest: burning green waste or lighting a fire near woodland is a matter for communal regulations and common sense — whoever lights it answers for the consequences.
🔓 Exceptions
- Fitted-out sites: hearths and barbecues installed on authorised picnic areas may be used on the manager's terms.
- Built private land: a barbecue in your private garden, outside the forest, is not caught by the forest ban, subject to communal rules and neighbours.
- Managed uses: certain forestry or agricultural management fires may be authorised case by case by the competent administration.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Lighting a fire in the forest outside a fitted-out site is an offence under the forest law, punishable by a fine from the Nature and Forest Administration or the police. But the stakes go far beyond the fine: if the fire spreads, whoever lit it answers for the damage caused, which can run to considerable sums — firefighting costs, replanting, harm to neighbouring properties. Depending on the circumstances, a fire caused by carelessness can lead to criminal prosecution for involuntary arson, with much heavier penalties. Civil liability insurance may cover the accident, but it turns on the person at fault in case of gross negligence or breach of a posted ban. On top come the duty to restore the site and, in a nature reserve, reinforced penalties under nature protection.
📎 Official sources
- Emwelt.lu · Environment portal (home) — the new forest law →
- Legilux · official journal (home) — forest law of 23 August 2023 →
- Nature and Forest Administration (home) — fire prevention and forest uses →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I have a barbecue in the forest?
Only on an equipped, authorised picnic area, never on the forest floor outside those sites. The forest law bans lighting a fire in the forest outside a fitted-out zone, and that includes wild barbecues.
Does the size of the fire change anything?
No, the law makes no distinction by the size or control of the fire. Outside a specially fitted-out site, any fire in the forest is banned, whether it is a large campfire or a simple naked-flame stove set on the ground.
Is it banned in my own private forest too?
Yes: the ban on lighting a fire covers all forests, public and private alike. Owning the woodland does not entitle you to light a fire in it outside a site fitted out and authorised for the purpose.
What happens if my fire starts a wildfire?
You answer for the damage caused, which can include firefighting costs, replanting and harm to neighbours. A fire due to carelessness can also lead to criminal prosecution for involuntary arson, with heavy penalties.
Can I use a camping stove in the forest?
A naked-flame stove set on the forest floor falls under the ban on lighting a fire in the forest outside a fitted-out zone. Prudence means cooking only on the designated areas, all the more so in a drought when wildfire risk is at its highest.
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