Now that it's starting to warm up, the City of Windsor is reminding residents of its open burning regulations and proper yard waste disposal.
Open burning is prohibited in the city without a valid permit, but Windsor Fire and Rescue Services warns it can also be dangerous.
"So far, in 2025, our emergency services have already responded to more than 50 incidents related to improper open burning," said Fire Chief Jamie Waffle.
Burning without a permit can also be costly. Under a new municipal bylaw passed in February, residents caught conducting an open burn without the proper authorization could face a recovery charge of about $570.50 an hour per apparatus, plus consumable inventory and a 10 per cent administrative fee.
The fines are to cover the cost of dispatching emergency vehicles.
Meanwhile, many residents are cleaning up their yards now.
The city's curbside collection starts in mid-April, but until then, residents can take their yard waste to the Public Drop-Off Depot free of charge.
For those willing to wait a few weeks so the city can pick it up, residents should put leaves, garden waste, branches, brush, tree, and hedge trimmings in a cardboard box, paper yard waste bag, or garbage can.
Remember, branches must be less than 7.5 cm in diameter, no longer than 4' long, and bundled. Those bundles can't be more than 44 lbs.