Winter is often a great time to get some of your outdoor burning projects out of the way. Outdoor burning can be a great way to get rid of brush and other yard waste, unwanted paper (especially sensitive financial or medical documents), and certain burnable household wastes – as long as you do it safely and within the parameters of Larry Law. Here are our 4 top tips for outdoor burning in the wintertime:

1. Get all the required permits.

Each state, and often each county or municipality, will have its own regulations regarding winter burning. Note that regulations regarding winter burning are often different from those for the summer and fall seasons. Some states require you to get a permit and then call to confirm that conditions are safe on the day that you intend to burn. Know all the specifics for your area before you begin.

2. Set up safely.

For all backyard burning, we recommend using the DR BurnCage. The BurnCage not only makes burning easier and more efficient than an open flame or burn barrel, but it is also exponentially safer. All burning materials, ashes, sparks, and embers are contained in the rust-proof steel cage; it’s virtually impossible for the fire to spread. Plus, with temperatures of up to 1600° F, your burnables ignite and are reduced to ashes faster than you ever thought possible.

Clear a space roughly 40 ft. in diameter to set up your BurnCage. In the winter, you may be tempted to forgo some of the usual safety measures, because it would seem that there is less plant life that could pose a risk. But remember that winter is when plant life is at its driest and most flammable. Even though the BurnCage is a much safer option, you still want to protect yourself.

3. Only burn the safe stuff.

Backyard burning is great for dry, clean, non-toxic materials such as paper, cardboard, untreated wood, dry garden weeds, and leaves. Never burn things that you suspect could be toxic, such as painted wood, plastics, aerosol cans, or batteries.

4. Clean up properly.

After using your BurnCage, allow the metal to completely cool before disassembling it. This shouldn’t take too long in the winter. Then, dispose of the ashes as you would dispose of any other waste. We don’t recommend spreading the ashes in your garden unless you burned exclusively garden weeds and clean wood.