Depew adopts local law to address excessive backyard fires; enforcement complaint-driven

The Village of Depew Board of Trustees adopted Local Law No. 3 of 2025 at its Sept. 22 meeting, restoring local enforcement authority over open fires and incinerators that trustees said had been removed from the village code about a decade earlier.

Trustees said the law is intended to give police and the fire department an enforcement mechanism when neighbors report persistent or hazardous fires, such as a fire burning for multiple hours and causing heavy smoke in adjacent homes. Meeting discussion emphasized that the law does not prohibit recreational or properly controlled backyard fires; rather, it sets rules and makes enforcement complaint-driven.

A public hearing on the proposed law was held Sept. 8, 2025, in the municipal building council chambers. The board’s resolution adopting the law states that all persons were given an opportunity to speak for or against the measure. The adopted law was made available in print at the municipal-building entrance, according to the trustees’ motion.

The transcript records the board’s explanation that the local law was drafted to address repeated complaints and to provide an enforceable standard after removal of the previous ordinance. Trustees described the enforcement mechanism as reactive: officials will respond when a complaint is filed rather than conducting roving enforcement. The board did not state specific penalty amounts or citation language in the meeting discussion; the full text of the adopted local law is available at the municipal building entrance for residents seeking details.

Adoption of the law was recorded by roll call, with trustees present voting in favor; the resolution was marked “carried” in the minutes. The clerk indicated copies of the law were available to the public at the entrance following adoption.