Burning crop residues: restrictions and rules for farmers and land managers
Restrictions on burning crop residues, and the rules you must follow when you burn to protect the environment and avoid causing nuisance.
Applies to England and Wales
You must follow general rules and additional rules when you burn the following crop residues:
- cereal straw and cereal stubble
- oilseed rape residue
- residue of field beans and peas harvested dry
- linseed residue
Crop residue is material such as stalks and stems of crops left on cultivated land after harvest.
You should follow general rules and additional rules if you’re burning straw stack remains and broken bales.
General rules set out how to:
- protect the environment and avoid causing nuisance when you burn crop residues
- burn safely
Additional rules cover the:
- reasons you’re allowed to burn each type of crop residue
- firebreaks you must put in place
A firebreak is an area of land that’s cleared of crops or other material that could catch fire.
You should carry out a risk assessment each time you burn.
General rules for burning crop residues
You must burn crop residues at least:
- 150 metres (m) from any other area where crop residue is being burned
- 100m from a motorway, A-road, dual carriageway or railway line
When you’re allowed to burn crop residues
You must not burn crop residue:
- on a weekend or bank holiday
- overnight - you must stop burning one hour before sunset and wait until sunrise the following morning before you start burning again
Between 24 hours and one hour before you start burning, you must tell:
- the environmental health department of the local district council
- people occupying any premises next to the area you’re burning
- air traffic control at aerodrome sites with a perimeter fence within 800m of the area you’re burning
You should also contact your local fire brigade before you start burning.
Safety rules you must follow
To burn crop residues you must have:
- at least 1,000 litres of water available in mobile containers
- a way to dispense water at a rate of 100 litres per minute
- at least 5 fire beaters
- a fire extinguisher in any vehicle you use when burning
All people involved with burning must know how to burn safely. There must be at least:
- 2 adults supervising each burning area - in an emergency, one adult can supervise the burning area
- one adult who has experience of burning crop residues and is able to control the operation
Burning cereal straw and cereal stubble: additional rules
You’re allowed to burn cereal straw and cereal stubble:
- if you’re served a notice by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that tells you to burn to control disease, or eliminate pests
- for education and research
Firebreak rules for burning cereal straw and cereal stubble
You must:
- have a firebreak at least 10m wide around the whole area you’re planning to burn
- limit the burning area to 10 hectares
You must have a firebreak of at least 15m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- tree trunks
- hedgerows
- fences not belonging to the land you are burning
- poles that may carry phone or electrical wires, pylons or substations
You must have a firebreak of at least 50m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- buildings or scheduled monuments
- stacks of hay or straw
- piles of combustible material other than crop residue, removed to make a firebreak
- any mature standing crop
- woodland or land managed as a nature reserve
- structures containing livestock
- oil or gas installations on or above the surface of the ground
You must incorporate ash from burnt cereal straw or cereal stubble into the soil in the 24 hours after you start burning. If you cannot do this because the wind conditions mean you may cause a nuisance, do it as soon as conditions allow.
Burn linseed, oilseed rape, and field beans and peas harvested dry: additional rules
You’re allowed to burn oilseed rape and field beans and peas harvested dry:
- if you’re served a notice by the APHA that tells you to burn to control disease, or eliminate pests
- for education and research
You’re allowed to burn linseed for any reason.
Firebreak rules for burning linseed, oilseed rape, and field beans and peas harvested dry
You must:
- have a firebreak at least 5m wide around the area you’re planning to burn
- limit the burning area to 20 hectares
You must have a firebreak of at least 5m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- tree trunks
- hedgerows
- fences not belonging to the land you are burning
- poles, pylons or substations that may carry phone or electrical wires
You must have a firebreak of at least 15m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- buildings or scheduled monuments
- stacks of hay or straw
- accumulation of combustible material other than crop residue removed to make a firebreak
- any mature standing crop
- woodland or land managed as a nature reserve
- structures containing livestock
- oil or gas installations on or above the surface of the ground
Burn straw stack remains or broken bales: additional rules
You can burn straw stack remains or broken bales to dispose of them. You must not burn other crop residues when you do this.
Firebreak rules for burning straw stack remains and broken bales
You must:
- have a firebreak at least 5m wide around the area you’re planning to burn
- limit the burning area to 20 hectares
You must have a firebreak of at least 5m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- tree trunks
- hedgerows
- fences not belonging to the land you are burning
- poles, pylons or substations that may carry phone or electrical wires
You must have a firebreak of at least 15m around any of the following that are within the area you’re burning:
- buildings or scheduled monuments
- stacks of hay or straw
- accumulation of combustible material other than crop residue removed to make a firebreak
- any mature standing crop
- woodland or land managed as a nature reserve
- structures containing livestock
- oil or gas installations on or above the surface of the ground
Penalties
You may receive an unlimited fine or face prosecution if you do not follow these rules.