Fire

• Yard fires can get out of hand and cause property damage, pose a burn risk.
  
  

Smoke

• Burning yard waste releases large quantities of smoke into the air. According to ecy.wa.gov, this smoke is just as hazardous to a person's health as cigarette smoke.
  
  

Particulates

• Smoke also contains tiny amounts of material called particulates. These particulates pollute the air, and when they return to the earth, water.
  
  

Greenhouse Gases

• Burning yard waste releases carbon dioxide, which is classified as a greenhouse gas, into the air.
  
  

Alternatives

• Instead of burning yard waste, people can create a compost pile, or have it collected by their local municipality. The local government may turn the waste into mulch, or use it as clean fill.