Can I burn dry leaves, branches or rubbish in my garden?
In short
No, in most cases it is not allowed. In Flanders and Brussels, burning garden waste is forbidden. In Wallonia, you may only burn dry garden waste if you are more than 100 metres from houses.
Video transcript
Autumn. A pile of dry leaves and branches has built up in the garden. Not allowed: Burning garden waste is banned in Flanders and Brussels. Wallonia has strict conditions. The right way: Get rid of garden waste through the municipal collection or the recycling park. Municipal fine (gas): Adults: max. 500 €; Burning waste, Flanders: 350 €; If the fire does damage: You pay for the damage.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Flanders: burning any kind of waste in the open air is forbidden for everyone. This includes leaves, branches and hedge clippings.
- In Flanders, campfires and fire baskets (vuurkorf) are allowed, but you may only burn dry, untreated wood in them.
- Brussels: the joint police regulation of the 19 municipalities (règlement général de police) forbids burning any waste in the open air, including green waste.
- Wallonia: burning waste is forbidden as a rule, but there is an exception for dry plant waste from your garden. The fire must be at least 100 m from houses, hedges and orchards, and at least 25 m from woodland.
- Your municipality can impose stricter rules (for example, a ban during dry spells or in windy weather). Compost your garden waste or take it to the recycling centre (recyclagepark / recyparc).
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Municipal administrative fine (GAS-boete / amende SAC): the municipality sets the amount; the general legal maximum for adults is 500 €, and the official Flemish website mentions 350 € for burning waste
Legal basis:Stad Gent – GAS-overlast + Wet 11.12.2023
- Court / prison
- Usually no prison sentence. In serious cases, the police report can be sent to the public prosecutor (procureur des Konings / procureur du Roi).
Legal basis:VMM – FAQ buiten stoken
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If the smoke keeps bothering your neighbour, they can go to the justice of the peace
Legal basis:Ger.W. art. 591, 2°ter
- If the fire spreads and causes damage, you pay for the damage
Legal basis:BW Boek 6, art. 6.5
- During dry spells or in windy weather, the municipality can ban all fires
Legal basis:Ordonnance bourgmestre Manhay 22.6.2026 + NLC, art. 134-135
What do these terms mean?
- GAS fine
- An administrative fine imposed by the municipality itself. It is not a criminal sentence. The maximum is €500 for adults and €175 for minors. You can appeal within 1 month to the police court (the youth court for minors).
- Justice of the peace
- The local court in every canton for everyday disputes such as neighbour conflicts, rent and small debts. It first tries to reconcile the parties.
Why does this rule exist?
Garden fires give off a lot of fine particles and harmful smoke. This smoke affects the health of neighbours, especially children, older people and people with asthma. Where houses are close together, there is also a high risk of the fire spreading.
Where can you go?
- Neighbourhood mediationA free service of the municipality (buurtbemiddeling / médiation de quartier)
- Neighbourhood police officerProblems that are not urgent (wijkagent / agent de quartier)
- MunicipalityPolice regulation, permits and appeals against a GAS fine
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 12 / 12 statements in an official source
- Checked: 12.10.2026
- Last checked
- 12.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 12 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Flandre: açık havada her maddeyi yakmak herkes için yasak (VLAREM)
VMM – FAQ buiten stoken - Found in an official source
Yasak biyokütle/bahçe atığını da kapsar
VMM – FAQ buiten stoken (arama özeti) - Found in an official source
Kamp ateşi ve ateş sepeti serbest; yalnız kuru, işlenmemiş odun
VMM – FAQ buiten stoken - Found in an official source
Brüksel ortak polis yönetmeliği md. 33 §2: yeşil atık dahil açık havada yakma yasak
Règlement général de police commun aux 19 communes bruxelloises, art. 33 §2 - Found in an official source
Valonya: atık yakmak kural olarak yasak (décret déchets 27.06.1996 art. 7)
Décret wallon 09.03.2023 (déchets, circularité, propreté publique), art. 33 (1996 kararnamesinin yerine, 10.08.2023'ten beri) + Code rural art. 89 istisnası; UVCW art. 2841 - Found in an official source
Valonya istisnası: bahçeden kuru doğal atık; Code rural md. 89: evlere/çitlere/meyve bahçelerine 100 m, ormana 25 m
Code rural (7 oktober 1886), art. 89, 8° ve 9° – Région wallonne versiyonu (Justel) - Found in an official source
Belediye daha sıkı kural koyabilir (kuraklık, rüzgâr)
Commune de Manhay – Ordonnance du Bourgmestre 22.06.2026 (NLC art. 134-135; örnek) - Found in an official source
GAS yasal üst sınırı yetişkin için 500 € (2024'ten beri)
Stad Gent – GAS-overlast + Wet 11.12.2023 - Found in an official source
Tutanak GAS memuruna veya savcıya gönderilir
VMM – FAQ buiten stoken - Found in an official source
Aşırı komşu rahatsızlığında komşu sulh hâkiminden önlem/tazminat isteyebilir
Ger.W. art. 591, 2°ter - Found in an official source
Ateşin verdiği zararı kusurlu kişi öder
BW Boek 6, art. 6.5 - Found in an official source
Yangın riski olan dönemde belediye başkanı açıkta her türlü ateşi yasaklayabilir (örnek)
Ordonnance bourgmestre Manhay 22.6.2026 + NLC, art. 134-135
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?