Marlborough's rules for burning wood
A plain-English summary of the Local Rules that affect what you burn and how.
Last checked: October 2026. Confirm with Marlborough District Council.
What you can burn
In small solid-fuel burners, such as a home wood burner, you can't burn:
- Wood above 25% moisture. Only Seasoned wood is allowed.
- Painted, stained, oiled or treated wood.
Never burn old vineyard posts. They're usually CCA-treated, which makes them treated wood.
Open fires and burners
- Indoor open fires are prohibited.
- Enclosed burners installed after 1 September 2005 must meet the national emissions standard.
The Blenheim airshed
Outdoor burning is banned within the Blenheim airshed. Blenheim has repeatedly breached the national limit for PM10, the fine particles in smoke, and most of it comes from home heating. Wet wood smokes, so burning only Seasoned wood helps.
Check the source
This page is a summary, not the rules themselves. For the full wording, and anything that has changed since we last checked, go to Marlborough District Council.